Effect of different packaging films on postharvest quality and selected enzyme activities of Hypsizygus marmoreus mushrooms.

Freshly harvested Hypsizygus marmoreus mushrooms were packaged using different packaging films, and physiological changes associated with postharvest deterioration, together with the activities of selected enzymes thought to play a role in senescence, were monitored during subsequent storage for 16-24 days at 4 degrees C and 65-70% relative humidity. A biaxially oriented polypropylene film (BOPP) maintained the postharvest appearance of the mushrooms most effectively by significantly reducing the incidence of unsightly aerial hyphae on the pileal surface and restricting mushroom softening. These samples also exhibited smaller initial decreases in soluble protein, smaller increases in reducing sugar content, and lower levels of malondialdehyde accumulation during early storage. Smallest increases in proteinase activity were recorded in samples wrapped with BOPP and polyoletin packaging, and superoxide dismutase and polyphenol oxidase levels were significantly higher and lower, respectively, in the former. Choice of packaging can significantly affect postharvest quality loss in H. marmoreus and improve mushroom shelf life.