A novel polyethylene nanopackaging combined with ozone fumigation delayed the browning and softening of Agaricus bisporus during postharvest storage

To elucidate the effect and mechanism of a novel polyethylene nanopackaging combined with ozone fumigation (O3 +NA) on delaying browning and softening of Agaricus bisporus during postharvest storage, quality changes under different treatments at low temperature over 18 d in storage were analyzed at the sensory, physiological and biochemical levels. It showed that, compared with ozone fumigation (O3), commercial polyethylene packaging (PE) and no packaging, O3 +NA improved the storage quality of mushrooms mainly by reducing the browning index, while maintaining firmness and whiteness. In comparison to the control group, O3 +NA increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus maintaining the better antioxidant activity of A. bisporus. This combined treatment not only inhibited the activity of enzymes related to browning but also maintained low levels of cell wall degrading enzymes activity, which restricted the softening of A. bisporus during storage. Therefore, O3 +NA improved the storage quality of mushrooms. Compared with conventional commercial PE film packaging, O3 +NA prolonged the shelf-life of mushroom at low temperature by 6-9 d, providing an effective composite preservation technology.