<b>Changes of color and water activity in dehydrated Agaricus blazei mushrooms, stored in different plastic packings</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v27i1.1505

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of different plastic packings on dry A. blazei mushrooms, in terms of water activity, color and microbial growth during storage. Samples of 50 g dry mushrooms were wrapped in polypropylene (60 µm), low-density polyethylene (50 µm), double laminated biaxially oriented polypropylene (44 µm) and double laminated metallic biaxially oriented polypropylene (40 µm). Storage periods lasted 0, 45, 90, 135, 180, 225 and 270 days at 25°C and 80%RH. Microbiological analyses of mould and yeasts were carried out before and after storage period. The results showed that the polypropylene packing promoted the greatest increase of water activity and browning in the mushrooms, followed by the low-density polyethylene and the double biaxially oriented polypropylene packings. Storage in the double metallic biaxially oriented polypropylene packing retained the color. There was no increase, though, in the development of mould and yeasts in the mushrooms in any of the plastic packings studied