Page 36 - index

breathability and can be stored as is; so, we recommend storing them in the container they come in,” says Litvin of Giorgio Fresh. “But for bulk mushrooms, it’s best to store in porous brown paper bags to allow mushrooms to breath and to avoid condensation. This can
enhance shelf life.”
According to Wilder, brown varieties, such
as Cremini, Shiitake and Portabella tend to have longer shelf lives than traditional white button mushrooms. But O’Brien points out all mushrooms are extremely susceptible to
improper storage conditions. “All mushrooms, regardless of the variety or flavor, should be stored at 34 degrees Fahrenheit and at 90 percent relative humidity,” he says. “That goes for in the store and in the consumer’s home. A rule of thumb is for each five-de- gree increase in temperature, you lose a day of shelf life. If the mushroom is stored in a drier environment, shelf life is decreased much more rapidly. Therefore, mushrooms should always be stored under refrigeration and that information needs to be passed on to the customer.”
MUSHROOMS CAN BE CASH COW
According to the Mushroom Council, mushroom consumption increased in 2017, with $1.2 billion in annual sales. Category dollars increased 4.2 percent, driven by a 5.7 increase in volume. This translated to an increase of $49.2 million in incremental sales for the year.
Produce departments that offer more varieties – especially organic and specialty mushrooms – and take the time to educate consumers via recipe cards, in-store demon- strations, cross merchandising, and promi- nent displays can enjoy taking advantage of a product that is part of the top 20 best sellers in produce retail store sales.
“We expect consumption to continue to increase,” says Litvin of Giorgio Fresh. “Particularly organics and healthy food choices, such as mushrooms, have been on trend for some time now with consumers. We do not expect this trend to slow down anytime soon.” pb
36 / APRIL 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS