**2.1 Shelf life extension of button mushroom varieties/strains**

Effect of dipping treatment in different concentrations of EDTA solutions and KMS was studied on weight loss and other quality parameters and shelf life of four varieties/strains of *A. bisporus viz*., S 649, SSI 4035, Pant 31 and NCS 100.

Loss in weight of fruit bodies of *A. bisporus* in cv. S 649 was considerably more under both ambient temperature and refrigerated conditions when it was kept in EDTA between 75 and 125 ppm concentrations. However, it was considerably less when the fruit bodies were subjected to EDTA 500 and 200 ppm under both the conditions. Fruit bodies under refrigerated conditions could be well preserved for longer period of time (11–13 days) and loses less weight (0.58 g) without being much influence on whiteness, texture and opening of the gills. However, there was considerable reduction in weight of fruit bodies (0.96 g), period of storage (3.50– 4.50 days) and other quality parameters when the fruiting bodies were preserved under ambient temperature conditions (**Table 1**). Short shelf-life (1–3 days) of mushrooms at ambient temperatures (ca. 22°C) was reported by Burton and Twyning [17] and Wakchaure [18] while longer shelf-life (for about 7–9 days) was reported by Gormley [19] at lower or refrigerated temperature (0–1°C) which are in agreement with the present findings.

The fruiting bodies of *A. bisporus* cv. NCS 100 could be well preserved for little longer period of time (13–16 days) and loses less weight (0.64 g) under refrigerated conditions without being much influence on whiteness, texture and opening of the gills. On the other hand, there was considerable reduction in weight of fruit bodies (0.99 g) and period of storage (3–5 days) influencing whiteness, texture and gill opening under ambient temperature conditions (**Table 2**). Under ambient temperature conditions, the rate of water loss was more resulting in shorter shelf life and change of mushroom structures which are also influenced by relative humidity, temperature, air movement and atmospheric pressure of the storage environment. It ultimately affect the shelf life, quality and had adverse effect on mushroom marketing mainly due to wilting and shriveling rendering mushrooms unfit for marketing and consumption [4].

Effect of dipping treatment with different concentration of EDTA (75, 125, 200 ppm) and KMS (500 ppm) was studied on weight loss and other quality parameters in strain **SSI 4035** of *A. bisporus* (**Table 3**). It was noticed that the weight loss (0.94 g) in fruiting bodies preserved under ambient temperature conditions in different concentrations of EDTA and KMS was more during 2–3 days of storage period with no much effect on whiteness (**Table 4**) and texture (**Table 5**) but gill opening (**Table 6**) and condensation (**Table 7**) was greatly influenced. On the contrary, weight loss in fruiting bodies (0.53 g) was less when preserved in different concentrations of EDTA and KMS for 6–10 days of storage under refrigerated conditions with no effect on whiteness and texture but gill opening and condensation was considerably influenced. Pretreatments of mushrooms with (chlorinated) water, dipping in citric acid, sodium chloride, or KMS, blanching in hot water, blanching followed with soaking in whey and curd fermentation, or steam blanching followed by sulfiting and citric acid were used by several workers before drying to stabilize color, flavor enhancement and texture retention [20–23]. The earlier findings also corroborates the present results in stabilizing the whiteness and retention of texture of fruiting bodies of *A. bisporus.*



*Effect*


*Postharvest Processing, Value Addition and Marketing of Mushrooms DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101168*

> **Table 2.**

*Effect of dipping treatment on weight loss, whiteness, texture and gill opening of* Agaricus boisporus *cv. NCS 100.*


**Table 3.**

*Effect of dipping treatments on weight loss of* Agaricus bisporus *fruit bodies SSI 4035.*


#### **Table 4.**

*Effect of dipping treatments on whiteness of* Agaricus bisporus *fruit bodies SSI 4035.*
