'Cardoncello' mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii), are typical spontaneous or cultivated mushrooms of the Mediterranean region and represent one of the most popular mushrooms in Italy. This variety is largely appreciated by consumers for its excellent organoleptic quality, mainly due to a peculiar taste and texture. Unfortunately, Cardoncello has very short shelf-life, losing its quality due to its high respiration rate. In addition the lack of a cuticle that protect them from physical or microbial attack and water loss, makes Cardoncello mushrooms highly perishable. So the aim of the present experiment was to extend the shelf-life of this commodity. In the first experiment (EXP 1) 'Cardoncello' mushrooms were unwashed (CTRL) or washed in two different chlorine solution concentrations (50 and 100 ppm), in order to select the most suitable one to reduce the microbial load, without affecting visual and sensorial quality during storage. Results of EXP 1 showed that, regardless the chlorine concentration applied, washing significantly delayed microbial load after processing and during storage respect with CTRL. Comparing the two different chlorine concentrations applied, the solution with 100 ppm chlorine caused appreciable damage and yellowing of the cap, while the use of 50 ppm did not affect mushrooms visual quality and preserved their sensorial attributes after 10 day of storage in air at 7 °C. In the second experiment (EXP 2) mushrooms were unwashed or washed in chlorine solution at the concentration selected in the EXP 1 (50 ppm), packed in MAP (10 kPa O2 + 10 kPa CO2 in nitrogen) or kept in air, and stored for 10 days at 7 °C. The effectiveness of the washing was confirmed on mesophilic bacteria but not on yeasts and moulds. Regardless washing operations, the use of MAP preserved the visual appearance of mushrooms during storage, allowing to maintain the marketability until 10 day of storage at 7 °C. The combination of washing and MAP significantly delayed mesophilic bacteria as well as yeasts and moulds growth during storage.
Influence of washing and packaging on quality of whole 'Cardoncello' mushrooms
Maria Cefola;Bernardo Pace
2017
Abstract
'Cardoncello' mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii), are typical spontaneous or cultivated mushrooms of the Mediterranean region and represent one of the most popular mushrooms in Italy. This variety is largely appreciated by consumers for its excellent organoleptic quality, mainly due to a peculiar taste and texture. Unfortunately, Cardoncello has very short shelf-life, losing its quality due to its high respiration rate. In addition the lack of a cuticle that protect them from physical or microbial attack and water loss, makes Cardoncello mushrooms highly perishable. So the aim of the present experiment was to extend the shelf-life of this commodity. In the first experiment (EXP 1) 'Cardoncello' mushrooms were unwashed (CTRL) or washed in two different chlorine solution concentrations (50 and 100 ppm), in order to select the most suitable one to reduce the microbial load, without affecting visual and sensorial quality during storage. Results of EXP 1 showed that, regardless the chlorine concentration applied, washing significantly delayed microbial load after processing and during storage respect with CTRL. Comparing the two different chlorine concentrations applied, the solution with 100 ppm chlorine caused appreciable damage and yellowing of the cap, while the use of 50 ppm did not affect mushrooms visual quality and preserved their sensorial attributes after 10 day of storage in air at 7 °C. In the second experiment (EXP 2) mushrooms were unwashed or washed in chlorine solution at the concentration selected in the EXP 1 (50 ppm), packed in MAP (10 kPa O2 + 10 kPa CO2 in nitrogen) or kept in air, and stored for 10 days at 7 °C. The effectiveness of the washing was confirmed on mesophilic bacteria but not on yeasts and moulds. Regardless washing operations, the use of MAP preserved the visual appearance of mushrooms during storage, allowing to maintain the marketability until 10 day of storage at 7 °C. The combination of washing and MAP significantly delayed mesophilic bacteria as well as yeasts and moulds growth during storage.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
