Postharvest Processing, Value Addition and Marketing of Mushrooms

Abstract

Mushrooms are macrofungi having a higher content of water (80–90%) and multinutrients. The presence of various phytochemicals, enzymes, primary metabolites and secondary mycometabolites results in poor shelf-life, quick deterioration, and huge postharvest losses (30–35%). Fresh mushrooms are short lived (1–8 days). Value chain management is thus necessary from the production to its harvest to meet the food and nutritional requirements. Every effort was made to extend the shelf-life of mushrooms for either short period or long period of storage. Washing or pretreatment, packaging, transport and marketing were some of the important standardized techniques for short-term storage of mushroom. On the other hand, drying, pickling and steeping preservation methods were some other techniques to extend the shelf-life of mushroom for a longer period of time during storage. Value addition of mushroom enhanced the quality and addressed the demand for ready-made or ready-to-make food products. Fresh/dry oyster mushroom in various proportions (5–10%) was used to prepare mushroom paratha, mushroom suji, mushroom sandwich, mushroom chakli, mushroom seb, mushroom-based biofortified wheat flour, mushroom-based papad, nuggets, mushroom bijoura, biscuits, etc. Several mushroom-based, value-added products like Royal Oyster Capsules were prepared by Self Help Groups women at Kapadah (Kabirdham).