Effect of moisture controlled packaging treatment with acid-modified expanded vermiculite/CaCl2 on the quality of fresh mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) during low-temperature storage.

BACKGROUND Fresh mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) are highly perishable and easily lose quality during storage. The packaging system can retard the deterioration of fresh mushrooms. However, water vapor transmission rates of commodity plastic films are lower than transpiration rate of mushrooms, resulting in increased moisture condensation in the package and perishability of mushrooms owing to microbial growth. A possible solution for controlling the humidity level in the package is to use a hygroscopic material. Acid leaching can improve the chemical and physical properties of expanded vermiculite (EV). The aim of this study was to develop a novel hygroscopic agent from acidified expanded vermiculite (AEV) and CaCl2 that has a high moisture absorption capacity and maintains a powdered form in the packaging system for fresh mushrooms. RESULTS Our findings revealed that leaching EV with HCl increased porosity and hydrophilicity. The combination of AEV:CaCl2 at 6:4 (w:w, AEV/CS40) showed the highest moisture adsorption capacity at 1.724±0.03 g H2 O/g material. Then, 1.55 g of AEV/CS40 was applied to the mushroom packaging and stored at 4 °C. The results indicated that AEV/CS40 could delay mushroom deterioration in terms of color change, firmness, pH, Total soluble solid (TSS), and microbial growth. CONCLUSION The study findings indicate that the alternative solid hygroscopic material obtained by combining AEV with CaCl2 has potential for use as a hygroscopic material for preserving the quality of white button mushrooms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.