Effect of Nonthermal Treatment on the Molecular Properties of Mushroom Polyphenoloxidase

Effect of Ultrasound on the Activity of Mushroom (Agaricus bisporous) Polyphenol Oxidase and Observation of Structural Changes Using Time-resolved Fluorescence

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is an enzyme associated with the browning process that can occur from mechanical injury and postharvest storage. Thus, its inactivation to inhibit this process is of great interest to the food industry. Recently a nonthermal technology, high frequency ultrasound (100–1 MHz), has found usage in this aspect. In this work, the application of high-frequency (378 kHz, 583 kHz, 1144 kHz, and 1175 kHz) and low frequency (20 kHz) treatment on a PPO extract (from mushrooms) by monitoring the residual enzymatic activity is described. A control thermal treatment at 40 °C was also performed for comparison purposes. High-frequency inactivation data fitted well using the Weibull model, whereas those obtained upon low frequency followed first-order kinetics. The inactivation rate constant obtained ranged from 0.0054 (20 kHz) to 0.028 min−1 (at 583 kHz). To elucidate changes in the enzyme structure time-resolved spectroscopy of a commercial PPO enzyme model was employed. Results indicated that ultrasound-induced structural changes in PPO, in keeping with the activity behaviour upon sonication.

Fresh Mushroom Preservation Techniques

The production and consumption of fresh mushrooms has experienced a significant increase in recent decades. This trend has been driven mainly by their nutritional value and by the presence of bioactive and nutraceutical components that are associated with health benefits, which has led some to consider them a functional food. Mushrooms represent an attractive food for vegetarian and vegan consumers due to their high contents of high-biological-value proteins and vitamin D. However, due to their high respiratory rate, high water content, and lack of a cuticular structure, mushrooms rapidly lose quality and have a short shelf life after harvest, which limits their commercialization in the fresh state. Several traditional preservation methods are used to maintain their quality and extend their shelf life. This article reviews some preservation methods that are commonly used to preserve fresh mushrooms and promising new preservation techniques, highlighting the use of new packaging systems and regulations aimed at the development of more sustainable packaging.

Effect of ultrahigh hydrostatic pressure on the activity and structure of mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) polyphenoloxidase

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP, treatment pressure ≤700 MPa) is approved to be the most successful commercial nonthermal processing due to its minimal modifications in nutritional and sensory quality. However, for some pressure stable enzymes such as PPO, this unique technology can hardly inactivate them at treatment pressure below of 700 MPa. This study investigated the effects of ultrahigh hydrostatic pressure (UHHP, treatment pressure >700 MPa) on the activity of Agaricus bisporus mushroom polyphenoloxidase (PPO) both in the phosphate buffer and in the mushroom puree, and on the structure of the enzyme by means of circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence emission spectra, and sulphydryl group detection. The results showed that UHHP treatment at pressure from 800 to 1600 MPa caused significant inactivation on the PPO both in the phosphate buffer and in the mushroom puree. UHHP treatment at 1400 and 1600 MPa for 1 min reduced the enzyme activity by 90.4% and 99.2% in the buffer;, however, higher enzyme activity remained in the puree after UHHP treatment at the same condition. CD and fluorescence spectra analysis showed that the secondary and tertiary structures of UHHP treated mushroom PPO were changed. The sulphydryl group (SH) detection revealed that the SH content on the surface of UHHP treated mushroom PPO was increased. It has been suggested that the inactivation of mushroom PPO by UHHP treatment at pressure higher than 1000 MPa was due to the synergistic effect of the pressure and the heat arising from pressurization, in which heat plays a major role.