## 1 Introduction  
Chinese steamed bread (CSB), commonly referred to as _Mantou_, has served as a staple food in China since ancient times. It is a traditional fermented and steamed product primarily composed of refined wheat flour, water, and yeast/sourdough [1]. Refined wheat flour is notably deficient in dietary fiber, containing less than 0.6%, due to the loss incurred during processing. This deficiency is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, as well as gastrointestinal and degenerative disorders [2]. Consequently, there has been a growing demand for staple food products that are enriched with dietary fibers.  
_Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum)_ has historically been regarded as a medicinal and culinary fungus in ancient China, reputed for its enigmatic therapeutic effects on both the body and mind, contributing to longevity [3]. The composition of the substance primarily includes ash (0.72-1.77%), carbohydrates (21.83-27.78%), fats (1.1-8.3%), fibers (59-65%), proteins (7-8%), among other components [4]. The species contains over 400 bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and glycoptides, which have been extensively utilized in the prevention and treatment of conditions including neurasthenia, cancer, and arthritis, and for detoxification purposes [5; 6]. Research has shown that the incorporation of dietary fibers, polyphenols, and proteins positively influences the textural, antioxidant, and digestive properties of CSB [1; 2]. The extract of _G. lucidum_ has been processed into various forms, such as tea, powder, and dietary supplements, which are commercially available for the treatment of various ailments [7]. While the fruiting body of _G. lucidum_ has long been employed in traditional herbal medicine, its spores also possess a substantial quantity of components similar to those found in the fruiting body. Furthermore, the activity of the spores is closely linked to the condition of the sporoderm. When the sporoderm remains intact, the pharmacological effects are diminished; conversely, breaking the sporoderm enhances the release of active components and the exertion of their effects. Current research on _G. lucidum_ spores primarily focuses on extraction and separation, the analysis of biological constituents, and pharmacological activities [8; 9]. However, the effects of _G. lucidum_ spores on dough and CSB quality have not been investigated, and there is a notable gap in the literature regarding their application in staple food products.  
This study employed broken _G. lucidum_ spore powder (BGLSP) at various concentrations as a functional ingredient in CSB. The investigation focused on the impact of BGLSP on the physicochemical properties, including color, thermal properties, and thermo-mechanical properties, of flour blends and dough, as well as the quality characteristics, such as moisture content, spread ratio, specific volume, texture, sensory evaluation, and volatile components, of the resulting CSB (Figure 1). The findings of this research may encourage further exploration into the application of BGLSP in the development of innovative products.  
Figure 1: Diagrammatic representation of experimental design. Abbreviations: BGLSP, broken _G. lucidum_ spore powder; CSB, Chinese steamed bread.