The objective of this study was to determine ultrastructural and compositional changes in fresh mushrooms associated with adverse changes in texture during 9 d of post-harvest storage at 12°C. Mushroom softening (2.6N to 1.5N, puncturing force) was consistent with toughening (19.2N to 33.0N, gumminess). Protein and total carbohydrate content declined, but chitin content increased during mushroom storage. Most polysaccharides were extracted after deacetylation and depolymerization of chitin, indicating that structural glucans were mainly bound with acetylglucosamine polymers. Softening paralleled expansion of intercellular space at the pilei surface, hyphae shrinkage, central vacuole disruption, and loss of proteins (r = 0.94) and polysaccharides (r = 0.84), while toughening was associated with increased chitin content (r = 0.95).
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