Extension of mushroom shelf-life by ultrasound treatment combined with high pressure argon

Effects of ultrasound, high pressure argon, and treatments comprising their combinations on physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of white mushrooms were studied during 9 days of storage at 4°C. High pressure argon treatments were relatively effective in retaining firmness and were found to maintain the cell integrity. White mushrooms firmness after 9 days of storage was increased from 2.79 N for untreated mushrooms up to 3.01, 3.24, 3.58 N for ultrasound, treatments comprising ultrasound and high pressure argon, high pressure argon, respectively. Similarly, the loss of water, ascorbic acid and total soluble solid in fresh mushroom was also greatly reduced by the high pressure argon treatment. The ultrasound treatment followed by treatments comprising ultrasound and high pressure argon and high pressure argon, respectively exhibited a pronounced effect on retarding browning and in delaying mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, yeasts and moulds growth in white mushroom, compared to the control during 9 days of cold storage. Treatments comprising ultrasound and high pressure argon treatment delayed pseudomonas growth, implying that it could extend shelf life of white mushrooms to 9 days at 4°C.