Improving mushroom supply chain handling and packaging to reduce quality loss (MU24002)

Challenge  

Mushroom growers have observed that product quality at retail is often poor compared to retention samples held at the farm.

Response  

To address this, laboratory experiments will assess the impact of varying ethylene and carbon dioxide concentrations on three types of Australian Agaricus mushrooms – loose whole, punnet whole, and punnet sliced. The project will also evaluate alternative packaging that can improve the quality  of punnet mushrooms.

The findings will inform the development of a predictive model to estimate product quality and shelf life based on supply chain conditions and gas exposure. The model and experiment data will be validated in commercial mushroom supply chains.  

Benefit  

This project will generate new knowledge on the sensitivity of Australian Agaricus mushrooms to ethylene and carbon dioxide. 

These findings will support the industry in:  

• Developing optimised handling practices and packaging for delivering consistent mushroom quality and extended shelf life for consumers.
• Increasing profitability, efficiency, and sustainability by aligning with the Mushroom Strategic Investment Plan’s focus on R&D to enhance shelf life.  

The outcomes, including key learnings and validated recommendations, will be shared across the mushroom industry and supply chain stakeholders to foster widespread adoption of improved practices.