RAMAKUMAR, M VAMBATKAR AVINASH, RAMDAS2016-12-072016-12-0741126th-10287http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/89357The oyster mushroom is an important food material having good nutritional properties. It cannot be stored for more than 2 days due to high perishablility. Two different experiments were carried out to enhance the shelf-life of oyster mushroom. A study was conducted to determine the influence of different packaging material vizpolyethylene (300G), polyvinylchloride (300G) and polyethylene terepthalate box with aluminium foil and banana leaves and different storage environments viz- very low (0- 3ºC), refrigerated (3-5ºC) and low (8-10ºC) temperatures on shelf-life and quality of mushroom. Results showed that the oyster mushroom packaged in polyethylene terepthalate box with aluminium foil and banana leaves stored under refrigeration maintained shelf-life with respect to colour (L* value, 64.23), PLW (5.54%), hardness (149.7gf), nutritional parameters of protein (25.83%), fat (1.94%), fibre (9.31%), ash (10.35%) and organoleptic score (7/9) and microbial load (4.19×103cfu/g) up to 16 days storage. Another investigation was carried out to study the influence of vacuum percentage viz. 50, 60 and 70% and drying time viz. 0, 5, 10 and 15 minutes on shelflife and quality of mushroom in refrigeration storage. The samples air dried for 15 minutes and packaged at 60 per cent vacuum maintained shelf-life and quality with respect to colour (L* value, 68.37), PLW (2.08%), hardness (173gf), protein (26.03 %), fat (1.87%), fibre (9.39 %) and ash (10.65 %), organoleptic score (8.4/9) and total microbial counts (0.55×103cfu/g) up to 24 days storage. The cost:benefit ratios of 1:1.33 and 1:1.94 were worked out for conventional and vacuum packaging of mushroom, respectively.enThesis