Effect of gamma irradiation and sulphitation treatments on keeping quality of white button mushroom Agaricus bisporus (J. Lge)

Gamma irradiation, alone and in combination with sulphitation, was tested for preventing the browning and maintaining the quality attributes of the white button mushrooms. Mushrooms were subjected to treatment of gamma irradiation in the dose range of 0.5–2.0 kGy and to combination treatments of sulphitation at a concentration of 0.1% potassium metabisulphite (KMS) and gamma irradiation (dose range 0.5–2.0 kGy) followed by storage at 10 ± 2 °C (RH 85%). A dose of 2.0 kGy significantly reduced the weight loss, prevented browning and mould growth. Cap and veil opening of mushrooms was delayed by 9 days and shelf life was extended by 12 days at a dose level of 2.0 kGy. Sulphitation alone at a concentration of 0.1% KMS was effective in controlling browning only upto 3 days, beyond which both browning and cap opening increased significantly ( P  ≤ 0.05) and the samples were unacceptable after 6 days of storage. No synergistic effect of sulphitation and irradiation was observed with respect to the shelf-life extension of mushroom.