Make Room For Mushrooms: Fungi Compete With Meat In Burgers

With so many people reconsidering their , the mushroom industry is hoping their product can become the next "other" white meat. And with , scientists and chefs say they think mushrooms have a shot at moving closer to the center of the plate.

Not long ago, the Mushroom Council, an industry group, hosted scientists, nutrition researchers and chefs for a . Among them was Amy Myrdal Miller, director of programs and culinary nutrition for the Culinary Institute of America, who presented findings from a study she did with University of California, Davis researcher . (The study was funded by the Mushroom Council.)

Miller's hunch was that consumers could enjoy mushrooms as a healthy substitute for meat without sacrificing flavor. So she and Guinard gave 147 adults eight different samples of taco blends with varying amounts of meat and mushrooms. On one end was a sample with 100 percent beef, and on the other was 20 percent beef, 80 percent mushroom. In between them was a 50 percent beef, 50 percent mushroom mix.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: NPR