Centella asiatica (CA), known for its health-promoting properties, is rich in bioactive compounds. This study optimised ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) parameters to maximise total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) using the response surface methodology (RSM). Ethanol concentration and solvent volume significantly influenced TPC and TFC yields (p < 0.0001), while ultrasonic power had nonsignificant effects (p < 0.05). Time showed no significant effect on TPC (p > 0.05) but influenced TFC due to flavonoids’ sensitivity to degradation (p < 0.05). Variable interactions were negligible (p > 0.05). The relationship between responses (TPC and TFC) and independent parameters could be expressed as the quadratic models fitted with a Predicted R² of 0.8263 for TPC and 0.9006 for TFC. Based on RSM, the optimal conditions—75% ethanol concentration, 87.5 W ultrasonic power, 30 min extraction time, and 20 mL solvent volume—yielded TPC and TFC values of 52.29 ± 1.65 mg/g and 43.71 ± 1.92 mg/g, closely aligning with model predictions at 95% confidence. Additionally, the optimal UAE condition provided asiaticoside of 37.56 ± 4.25 mg/g and madecassoside of 16.91 ± 1.28 mg/g. This study offers valuable insights into the factors influencing UAE efficiency, sustainability, and scalability for recovering bioactive compounds, underscoring its potential as a sustainable method for developing functional food ingredients from CA.

Salt is widely overconsumed. Among the strategies used in low-salt foods, the addition of flavor enhancers to improve saltiness perception through an umami taste is a viable and promising technique. This study investigated using split-gill mushroom (SGM) powder containing umami taste to increase saltiness in a clear soup for two different heating conditions: steaming under high pressure and microwave heating. According to the E-tongue results, the addition of 0.2–0.8% SGM produced a different taste in the soup compared to the addition of salt, and the addition of 0.2–0.8% SGM yielded a similar taste to the addition of 0.4–0.6% MSG in a plain, clear soup. In flavored soup, SGM at a high concentration had a taste-enhancing impact comparable to 0.4% MSG, whereas SGM at a low concentration had no taste-enhancing effect. The flavored soups containing 0.4 or 0.8% SGM consisted of two umami 5′-nucleotides: adenosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-AMP) and guanosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-GMP); however, inosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-IMP) was not detected. The major umami amino acids were glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and arginine. Microwave heating increased the salinity and total nucleotides and could maintain the umami amino acids, whereas aspartic acid (one of the umami amino acids) was reduced by 8.23% after steaming under high pressure. Thus, after microwave heating and steaming under high pressure, the equivalent umami concentration was reduced by 43.11 and 44.53%, respectively. In conclusion, the addition of SGM and volumetric heating using microwaves could be an alternative method for reducing the amount of salt in soup by increasing the umami taste intensity and salinity.

Edible mushroom has attracted increasing attention as a natural flavor enhancer. This research studied sensory flavor profiles and identified umami taste-related compounds in split gill mushroom extract (SGME) using descriptive analysis and chemical analysis, respectively. The effects of SGME on taste enhancement as perceived by trained descriptive panelists and general consumers were evaluated in salt solutions and clear chicken soups. The results showed that SGME had mushroom, bitter aromatic, dark brown, meaty, and musty flavor notes and salty and umami tastes. Glutamic acid, aspartic acids, adenosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-AMP), and guanosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-GMP) contributed to SGME’s umami taste. As perceived by trained panelists, saltiness enhancement caused by SGME in aqueous solutions occurred only at relatively low salt concentrations (0.3 and 0.5%), while its umami enhancement effect was more pronounced. When SGME was added into reduced-salt seasoned clear chicken soups, it helped to enhance both the salty and umami tastes of the soups. The 20–31.25% reduced-salt soups with 12.5% of SGME were rated as salty as (p > 0.05) the control soup with regular salt content as perceived by both trained panelists and general consumers. The results suggest that SGME could be used as a natural flavor enhancer in the development of reduced-salt foods.

Soymilk contained serine protease enzymes with inhibitory activity against trypsin, causing a negative effect on nutritional absorption. This project aimed to investigate the effects of conventional heating (100 °C/20 min) and microwave heating (360–900 W/1–6 min) on trypsin inhibitor, protein digestibility, and odor profiles. Soymilk contained 46–47% protein, regardless of heating conditions. Using scanning electron microscopy, it can be seen that the conventionally heated sample had a smooth surface and a porous structure, whereas microwave-heated samples contained a protein matrix in clusters with rough surfaces. The molecular weight of proteins in SDS-PAGE was reduced to 19 kDa and <16 kDa after conventional and microwave heating, respectively, resulting in the reduction of trypsin inhibitor from 36.66 to 0.91 and 0.56–0.66 mg/g, respectively. Protein digestibility was significantly improved when either the conventional heating at 100 °C for 20 min or the microwave heating at 900 W for 6 min was applied. From e-nose analysis, the beany flavor was reduced after the microwave heating for 3–6 min, and the highest intensity of the sweet odor compounds were observed after the microwave heating at 600 W for 1 min. Due to the short processing time, microwave heating was then recommended for inhibition of trypsin inhibitors and improving protein digestibility.

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