Technological properties and applications of mushroom-based ingredients in innovative food products

The growing demand for sustainable, functional, and nutritionally enhanced foods has intensified the search for alternative ingredients capable of meeting both technological and health-related requirements. In this context, mushrooms have emerged as promising multifunctional resources due to their nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, and techno-functional properties. This review provides a critical analysis of mushroom-based ingredients, focusing on the relationship between fractionation, structure, and techno-functionality, and their role in innovative food products. General aspects related to production, structure, composition, health benefits, post-harvest practices, processing, and preservation are first examined within a comprehensive approach that spans from cultivation to the final product. After, advances in extraction and fractionation processes, including alkaline extraction-isoelectric precipitation, hot water extraction, and ultrasound-assisted techniques, are discussed in terms of their impact on molecular architecture and functional performance. Evidence shows that techno-functional properties are strongly dependent on processing conditions, with tradeoffs between yield, purity, and functionality. Applications in cereal-, dairy-, meat-, and emerging food systems demonstrate the ability of mushroom-derived ingredients to enhance nutritional quality, modulate texture, and contribute to flavor development. However, challenges related to variability, scalability, and sensory acceptance remains key limitations. Overall, mushrooms should be viewed not only as nutritional ingredients, but as functional structuring agents in next-generation food systems.