Gas-Assisted Steam Explosion Enables Targeted Regulation of Nutritional and Flavor Quality in Pleurotus eryngii via Microstructural Remodeling and Metabolite Modulation.

Gas-assisted steam explosion (GASE) disrupts raw material structures and promotes active release, but its effects on the nutritional quality and flavor of edible fungi remain unclear. Therefore, this study assessed the influence of GASE on the nutritional quality and flavor characteristics of Pleurotus eryngii. Using the sample as the raw material, we selected the GASE process parameters through single-factor experiments combined with response surface methodology and confirmation experiments. Subsequently, changes in nutrient contents and volatile/non-volatile flavor profiles were quantitatively characterized under these processing conditions. The results indicated that the selected parameters effectively disrupted the cell wall structure of the sample, resulting in a loose and porous microstructure. Consequently, the levels of protein, polysaccharides, amino acids and vitamins were significantly altered. In terms of flavor, this process modified the relative odor activity values of key aroma compounds, including volatile aldehydes and pyrazines, while also affecting the distribution of non-volatile metabolites. This led to the enrichment of flavor compounds such as nucleotides and their derivatives, and organic acids. This study confirmed that GASE technology can effectively enhance the nutritional quality and flavor characteristics of the mushroom by regulating its microstructure and metabolite composition.