Improved post-harvest preservation effects of mushroom ( <i>Agaricus bisporus</i> ) using bacterial cellulose nanocrystals-gelatin/cinnamon essential oil emulsion coatings

Abstract This work investigated the effect of bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNCs)-gelatin (GelA)/cinnamon essential oil (CEO) emulsion coatings (BCNCs-GelA/CEO) on the shelf-life extension of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). CEO loadings between 1200 and 2400 μL/L were used in the coatings applied on the mushrooms' surface. The overall quality of coated mushrooms was monitored over 15 days of cold storage (4 ± 0.5 °C). Regardless of the storage time, using the highest amount of CEO within the coating formulation minimised the impact on tested parameters (weight loss, firmness, percentage of opened caps, total soluble solids, content of ascorbic acid and soluble protein, PPO/POD enzymatic activity) as compared to control samples. Interestingly, a linear relationship (R2 = 0.96 on average) between CEO concentration and the respiration rate of coated mushrooms was disclosed. Overall, this study pinpointed the capability of BCNCs-GelA/CEO coatings to delay the aging process of button mushrooms under cold storage. Our findings could be applied to address the issue of food losses, highlighting the positive role of coating technology in enhancing the efficiency of the early stages of the food supply chain, especially in the case of button mushrooms. However, an assessment of the impact of the concentration of other coating components (BCNC and fish gelatin) on the shelf-life extension of button mushrooms, as well as an evaluation of the coating's effectiveness in prolonging the shelf-life of other food items, particularly non-respiring products, is necessary to widespread the applicability of the proposed technology.