Valorisation of Edible Mushroom By-Products as Natural Flavour Enhancers in Plant-Based Foods: Mechanisms, Sensory Profiles, and Industrial Translation

Plant-based foods have emerged as an important choice for many consumers. Although foods formulated from plant-derived raw materials and ingredients can contribute to more sustainable food systems, their broader consumer acceptance continues to be constrained by suboptimal flavour quality compared with products prepared using animal-derived ingredients. While considerable research has focused on improving the texture, nutritional value, and processing of plant-based foods, recreating the savoury depth characteristic of animal-derived foods remains a persistent challenge. Edible mushroom by-products have attracted increasing attention as sustainable sources of flavour-enhancing compounds; however, their functionality cannot be explained solely by the presence of glutamate or other individual constituents. Rather, their sensory effects arise from coordinated interactions among umami-active molecules, receptor-mediated taste mechanisms, food matrix properties, and human perception. This review examines the potential of edible mushroom by-products as natural flavour-enhancing ingredients for plant-based foods. It also reviews evidence on flavour-active composition, the molecular basis of umami perception, glutamate–5′-nucleotide synergism, formulation strategies, sensory evaluation, consumer acceptance, and industrial translation.