Methods of Extending Shelf-Life and Use of New Packaging Systems in Button Mushroom

Button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), with the highest production in the world, its production and consumption has always grown exponentially. The polyphenols and flavonoids in it have antioxidant properties. Post-harvest button mushrooms are a very vulnerable product with a short shelf life. High respiration rate, water loss, a single epidermal layer on the surface and high enzymatic level (especially Tyrosinase) are some of the main reasons to reduce the shelf life of button mushrooms. Distribution, marketing and every postharvest process of mushrooms has been influenced by these factors and many problems occurred on postharvest process, so that the high commercial potential of this product could not be used and it could be sold in a very limited time. Today, with the developments of science and technology in the field of packaging, to solve this problem, electrolyzed water, ultrasound, irradiation, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and microwave treatments are used to increase the shelf life of edible mushrooms. Applying the mentioned items increases the quality and edible mushrooms as a commercial product in the field of export. In this paper, physical and chemical methods, washing treatments and types of packaging to increase the shelf life of edible mushrooms have been investigated. Each method is reviewed and new perspectives are presented.