Effects of composite chemical pretreatment on maintaining quality in button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) during postharvest storage

•Button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) were treated with a composite chemical pretreatment.•Composite chemical pretreatment (T3) maintained good texture, color and weight.•T3 treatment increased antioxidant enzymes activities.•T3 treatment maintained MDA levels, decreased H2O2 and OH− contents.•T3 treatment demonstrates higher levels of soluble protein contents.

This study evaluated the effects of composite chemical pretreatment on the quality of postharvest button mushrooms. Three different treatments, including (T1) control (water), (T2) 1 mmol L−1 Na2EDTA + 10 mmol L−1 CaCl2 and (T3) 1 mmol L−1 Na2EDTA + 2.5% CaCl2 + 0.5% citric acid + 2.5% sorbitol were used for pretreatments. The results showed that T3-treated samples maintained good firmness and color and had less weight loss during the postharvest storage. Lower levels of H2O2, −OH and low malondialdehyde content (MDA) were observed in T3 compared with T1 and T2 samples. Significantly higher soluble protein contents and higher activities in the antioxidant enzymes, i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD) were observed in T3 compared with T1 and T2 at the end of the storage period (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the T3 treatment could be useful in preserving button mushrooms.