Exploring edible plants and mushrooms in baking: trends and opportunities

Edible plants and mushrooms are highly nutritious and play a significant role in culinary traditions. This review explores their proximate, chemical, and bioactive composition, with a particular focus on their potential to support sustainable dietary practices and their growing importance in the food industry. The diverse metabolic profiles of these species add value to food products and drive innovation to meet the evolving consumer demands for health, sustainability, and functionality. Beyond their basic nutritional value, the incorporation of these matrices into modern baking techniques and practices has enabled the exploitation of their bioactive properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, for the development of functional foods. The review also explores emerging consumer trends, highlighting that the incorporation of edible plants and mushrooms into baked goods enhances their sensory attributes, particularly flavor, texture, and crumb elasticity, while significantly improving their nutritional value. This approach aligns with the growing consumer preference for sustainable dietary patterns that promote overall health and long-term well-being. By harnessing these bioactive compounds, the food industry is developing functional foods with enhanced sensory quality and added health benefits, thereby meeting the expectations of health-conscious consumers.