The combined effect of exposure time to sodium chlorite (NaClO2) solution and packaging on postharvest quality of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) stored at 4 °C

Abstract Agaricus bisporus was washed with 1 g/L sodium chlorite (NaClO2) (SC) solution for 30, 60 and 120 s, packed with a non-perforated polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film and stored at 4 °C for 12 days. Washing the mushrooms with the SC solution and packaging with the PVC film slowed down the change in colour and firmness of the mushrooms, but treating the mushrooms with the SC solution longer than 60 s adversely affected the mushroom texture. After 12 days of storage, the weight loss of the mushrooms packed with the PVC film was less than 10% compared to the control. Headspace O2 concentration decreased while CO2 concentration increased throughout 12 days of storage and reached about 15% and 4%, respectively. Pseudomonas spp. counts for unwashed and unpacked mushrooms reached 10.30 log10 CFU/g after 12 days of storage while the mushrooms washed with the SC solution and packaged with the PVC film had Pseudomonas spp. counts as low as 6.62 log10 CFU/g. Treating the mushrooms with the SC solution for 60 s and packaging with the PVC film were found to be the most appropriate treatment to minimize the change on the postharvest quality of white button mushroom.