UV-C Treatment maintains quality and delays senescence of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Abstract

The feasibility of UV-C treatment was studied for extending the shelf-life of oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms were treated with 4.0kJ/m2 ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation before packaging with LDPE pouches, stored at 4°C for 15days. During storage, color, tissue electrolyte leakage, soluble solid content, soluble protein, methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), catalase (CAT), total viable counts, lactobacillus, yeast & mold counts and overall quality of oyster mushrooms were measured. Oyster mushrooms treated with UV-C resulted in slower changes in color, soluble solid content, soluble protein, exhibited higher CAT,PAL activities and overall quality, lower tissue electrolyte leakage and MDA content compared to untreated oyster mushrooms. Besides, oyster mushrooms treated with UV-C also show a high potential ability for surface decontamination of oyster mushrooms. Results show that UV-C treatment could be useful to extend the shelf life of oyster mushrooms.