Assessment the effects of some postharvest treatments on increasing storability of bottom mushroom

The postharvest life of bottom mushroom is limited due to bacterial attack and enzymatic browning. This study was carried out in order to increasing the storability of mushroom, by antibacterial and anti-browning components. For that, the mushrooms were treated by oxalic and citric acids at concentration of 1.5 and 2.5 mM, hydrogen peroxide at concentration of 1 and 2.5%, ascorbic acid at concentration of 1.5 mM and calcium chloride at concentration of 1% as dipping for 2 min, and then treated mushrooms were packed in cellophane and stored at 4°C. Weight loss, marketability, electro leakage (EL) and bacterial colony forming unit (CFU) were measured after 8 and 16 days. According to the results, calcium chloride, ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide controlled browning as compared to control. However, oxalic and citric acids, despite reducing microbial load, did not show any positive effects. Calcium chloride by reducing weight loss, reducing EL and reducing bacterial load, ascorbic acid by reducing EL and reducing bacterial load and peroxide hydrogen by reducing bacterial load tended to increase postharvest life of bottom mushroom.