Alleviation of cap browning of 1-MCP /High CO2- treated straw mushroom buttons under MAP

Straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea) have a short shelf life at ambient temperatures due mainly to high rates of water loss and rapid cap browning. Fresh straw mushroom buttons were fumigated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at 0, 250, 500 and 1000 ppb in air for 6 h at 25 °C prior to storage at 15 °C on foam trays overwrapped with polyvinylchloride (PVC) film. 1-MCP concentrations above 250 ppb effectively reduced cap browning of straw mushrooms due to the inhibition of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. 1-MCP treatments delayed an increase in the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) a product of lipid oxidation, in the fruiting bodies, although there was a trend to increasing MDA accumulation after day 3 of storage following treatment with 1000 ppb 1-MCP. Treatment with 250 ppb 1-MCP was as effective as fumigation with 40% CO2 for 6 h for reducing browning and increasing the shelf life of straw mushrooms stored at 15 °C.