High carbon dioxide and low oxygen storage effects on reactive oxygen species metabolism in Pleurotus eryngii

•The optimized condition was 2% O2 + 30% CO2 at 20–25 °C and 90–95% relative humidity.•The optimized condition maintained good sensory characteristics of mushrooms.•The optimized condition alleviated lipid peroxidation in mushrooms.•The optimized condition limited ROS accumulation in mushrooms.

This study addressed the influence of high carbon dioxide and low oxygen levels on Pleurotus eryngii samples, stored at 20–25 °C and 90–95% RH for 5 d. Evaluations of sensory characteristics, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide anion (O2−) production rate and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) were made in the mushrooms in response to high carbon dioxide and low oxygen treatments. The results showed that 2% O2 + 30% CO2 significantly prolonged mushroom shelf-life when compared to the control. The 2% O2 + 30% CO2 mixture was better suited to maintaining mushroom sensory characteristics and delaying the MDA increase and O2− production rate during storage. The activities of SOD, POD, and CAT in 2% O2 + 30% CO2-treated mushrooms were significantly higher than those of the control. However, the CCO activity was not affected by the atmospheric treatment (2% O2 + 30% CO2). These results indicated that the 2% O2 + 30% CO2 treatment could alleviate lipid peroxidation and enhance antioxidant enzyme activities, but it exerted little influence on the CCO activity of Pleurotus eryngii.