The effect of calcium ascorbate and heat treatment on increase the shelf life of button mushroom

In order to preserving of button mushroom during storage, an experiment was carried out through a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design. In this research the effect of calcium ascorbate (0, 0.4 and 0.8 percent) and hot water treatment (45°C) was investigated on qualitative characteristics such as weight loss, firmness, vitamin C, total phenol, polyphenol oxidase activity (PPO) and color parameters. After treatment, mushrooms were kept at 1 ± 0.5°C and 90% relative humidity and then qualitative characteristics were evaluated after 0, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days. The results showed that calcium ascorbate associated with heat treatment had significant effects on weight loss, firmness, color parameters and PPO activity. The effect of time on all parameters in statistical level 1% and the interaction effect of treatment and time on weight loss, color parameters and PPO activity were significant. The best results in preserving mushroom quality appeared to be obtained from 0.8% calcium ascorbate with heat treatment.