How does an ingredient actually behave in a food or beverage? What flavours does it bring to the final product? And is it suitable for product development in a way that results in a commercially viable product? These were the questions that MUSHEEZ®, an Estonian producer of functional mushroom ingredients, set out to answer in collaboration with TFTAK (the Centre of Food and Fermentation Technologies).
Based in Pillapalu, Estonia, MUSHEEZ® serves customers across European markets, helping companies develop and launch organic mushroom-based ingredients and products. While the company initially focused on chaga, its portfolio has expanded to include reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps, maitake, and shiitake mushrooms. Beyond supplying raw materials, MUSHEEZ® also supports product development, quality assurance, and customers in selecting the most suitable ingredients for their applications.
This is precisely where one of the industry’s key challenges emerges. When functional mushroom extracts are incorporated into foods and beverages, technical specifications alone are no longer sufficient. Product developers also need to understand how an ingredient tastes, dissolves, behaves in different food matrices, and whether it performs well in applications such as beverages, soups, snack bars, or other products.
The primary objective of the study was to provide MUSHEEZ®’s customers with more comprehensive information. Food and beverage manufacturers need more than the standard specification sheets commonly used for dietary supplements – they also require data on sensory characteristics, processing behaviour, and potential application risks when selecting ingredients.
To achieve this, MUSHEEZ® partnered with TFTAK – the Centre of Food and Fermentation Technologies in Tallinn. TFTAK specialises in the development of functional foods and beverages, sensory analysis, prototyping, validation, shelf-life studies, and transferring technologies into industrial production.
Together, the partners carried out independent analytical testing and sensory evaluation of six organic mushroom extracts to better understand their suitability for food and beverage applications. MUSHEEZ® commissioned the work with the aim of moving beyond standard supplier specifications and generating practical data that supports real-world ingredient selection decisions.
One of the project’s most important findings was that “mushroom extract” should not be viewed as a single, uniform category from a product development perspective. The tested extracts differed considerably in their sensory profiles. TFTAK’s analyses provided MUSHEEZ® with a much deeper understanding of its own products, enabling the company to offer evidence-based recommendations to manufacturers on the most suitable applications for each ingredient.
According to Rain Kuldjärv, Head of Functional Foods and Beverages at TFTAK:
“Our development journey with clients usually begins by identifying the project’s critical success factor and focusing our efforts on that. Professional sensory evaluation, such as the service we provided for MUSHEEZ®, is just one example. We offer comprehensive product development services, but we can also help solve specific challenges, such as improving product homogeneity or extending shelf life.”
The research also strengthened MUSHEEZ®’s market position. At this year’s Vitafoods Europe, one of the leading B2B trade fairs for nutraceuticals and functional food ingredients, the company was able to confidently present independently validated data on the sensory and functional properties of its products. The exhibition proved highly successful, resulting in several promising new business connections.
The project also highlights a broader lesson for other companies. Collaboration with research organisations does not have to involve lengthy or highly theoretical research projects. Sometimes it means taking a very practical step in product development – understanding why an ingredient performs well in one application but not another, reducing development risks, and generating the evidence needed to make better-informed decisions.
The collaboration between MUSHEEZ® and TFTAK demonstrates how a company’s practical development needs and a research partner’s expertise can together create something far more valuable than a technical report alone. A thorough understanding of your own product can also become a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace.
The work formed part of MUSHEEZ®’s published report, Functional Mushroom Extracts for Food & Beverages (available at www.musheez.eu/reports). The report is designed as a practical resource for food and beverage manufacturers operating in EU-aligned markets. It brings together the sensory evaluation conducted by TFTAK, the results of key functional tests (WHC, OHC, and WSI), as well as guidance on assessing ingredient suitability, procurement risks, and supporting technical documentation.
From Adapter’s perspective, this project is an excellent example of why collaboration between companies and research organisations should be considered early in the innovation process. When a business has a development challenge but is unsure where to turn or how to structure a collaboration, an intermediary can play a valuable role by helping define the challenge and identify the right research partner.
Successful collaboration is not built simply because both parties are interested. It succeeds when they share a meaningful question that requires a practical, evidence-based answer.
