Abstract
Changes in the contents of low molecular weight carbohydrates, glycogen (polysaccharide in acetic acid soluble fraction) and organic acids in fruit-bodies of Sparassis crispa during unpackaged storage and hermetical storage (polyethylene film pouches in 100μm thickness) at five storage temperatures (30, 20, 10, 5 and 0 ℃) were investigated. (1)The shelf lives of unpackaged Sparassis crispa were 4 days at 30℃, 7 days at20℃, 14days at 10℃, 18days at 5℃ and 19days at 0℃. The shelf lives of hermetically packaged Sparassis crispa were 4 days at 30℃, 7 days at 20℃, 12 days at 10℃, 16 days at 5℃ and 17 days at 0℃. Hermetical packaging was observed as an ineffective measure to extend shelf life. (2) In this particular mushroom, mannitol, arabitol, glycerol, trehalose, fructose and glucose were identified, and trehalose and mannitol were found to be major components among them. During storage, the contents of each sugar compound decreased. In particular, decreases in trehalose and mannitol were noted, which suggested that trehalose and mannitol are major respiratory substrates. (3) The contents of glycogen in fruitbodies during storage at five storage temperatures decreased with the elapse of storage days and an increase in storage temperature. (4) With this particular mushroom, formic, acetic, oxalic, succinic, fumaric, malic, pyroglutamic, citric and isocitric acid were identified, and among them malic, pyroglutamic, fumaric and citric acids were found to be major components. The contents of organic acids in fruit-bodies increased during storage with the elapse of storage days and an increase in storage temperature.
