Thermal Inactivation of Mushroom Polyphenoloxidase Employing 2450 MHz Microwave Radiation

Browning reactions in fruits and vegetables are a serious problem for the food industry. In mushrooms, the principal enzyme responsible for the browning reaction is polyphenoloxidase (PPO). A microwave applicator has been designed and used for studying mushroom PPO inactivation. The effects of microwaves and conventional heating on the kinetics of the monophenolase and diphenolase activities of PPO were studied. Conventional and microwave treatments produce different enzyme intermediates with different stability and kinetic properties. We describe how considerable time can be saved during microwave inactivation of the enzyme compared with the time needed when conventional hot-water treatment is used, resulting in greater profitability and enhanced quality. The short exposure time required for samples irradiated with microwaves is very important for maintaining the quality of mushrooms. The fast microwave treatment used resulted in an increase in antioxidant content and a considerable decrease in browning. Keywords: Mushroom; polyphenoloxidase; tyrosinase; diphenols; monophenols; thermal inactivation; blanching; microwave heating