Effect of 4‐methoxycinnamic acid on the postharvest browning of mushrooms ( <i>Agaricus bisporus</i> )

Abstract

Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) are well-known as food and also valued for their medicinal and tonic benefits. However, due to the limited shelf life of fresh mushrooms, they are prone to browning during postharvest storage. Tyrosinase is a key enzyme in mushroom browning. In this study, 4-methoxycinnamic acid (MCA) was used as an inhibitor of tyrosinase and as a postharvest mushroom preservative at (10 ± 1)°C and 85% ± 5% relative humidity. The results showed that MCA-treated mushrooms maintained their white color and low open caps, and could also retard the appearance of respiratory peaks. The activity of lipoxidase (LOX) in mushrooms could be inhibited by imperfections in the cell membrane. Moreover, in the treated group, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide anion generation rate were reduced, while the mushrooms maintained high endogenous antioxidant contents. Thus, MCA can be used as a postharvest mushroom preservative. Practical applications The shelf life of fresh mushrooms is short at room temperature due to its browning. The study showed that the effect of 4-methoxycinnamic acid (MCA) on the postharvest mushrooms suggested that it could effectively prevent browning and which is easy to inhibit PPO and POD activities. The results suggest MCA can be developed as an anti-browning preservative using in mushroom.