• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1079-1085
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• 2003

Modified atmosphere packaging was applied to oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) to study the effect of storage temperatures and packaging materialso. Whole mushrooms (200g) were package with polyethylene film $(PE,\;60{\mu}m\;thickness)$, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or ceramic film (containing 5% zeolite) and stored at 0, 5, 10 and $20^{\circ}C$. Weight loss, color, firmness, gas composition $(O_2,\;CO_2)$ inside the film package and ethanol content in the tissue of MA packaged mushrooms were examined. Mushroom that were packed unwrapped in a conventional hardboard box (2 kg) lost marketability at a very early stage of storage due to weight loss, shrinkage, browning, and spore formation. During storage, film packaging prevented or retarded the deterioration of the mushrooms in the aspects of appearance, texture, and discoloration. Firmness slightly decreased with storage time. Total color difference was much higher in the control than in the film-packaged mushroom and rapidly increased at the early of storage. Correlation analysis showed a high correlation between total color difference and b values. These results were characterized by the reduced respiration rate resulting from elevated carbon dioxide and reduced oxygen levels in the package. At all storage temperatures, ethanol content in the tissue increased slightly at the early part of storage and rose considerably towards the end of the storage period. Ethanol content in the oyster mushrooms was higher in the stipe than in pileus tissues. The shelf life of the oyster mushrooms was about $8{\sim}11$ days at $0^{\circ}C$, about $4{\sim}6$ day at $5^{\circ}C$, about $2{\sim}3$ days at $10^{\circ}C$, and about $1{\sim}2$ days at $20^{\circ}C$.