Food quality bosses in Belgium are investigating new scientific methods to determine the shelf life of white and oyster mushrooms.
At the moment mushrooms bearing the Flandria quality mark are assessed internally by experienced auction inspectors and externally by certified inspection body Certagro for shelf life.
Now Flandria want to take that one step further and explore whether there is an objective and scientifically conclusive way of measuring the mushroom shelf life.
Research is now being carried out by the Flanders Centre of Postharvest Technology to find out if shelf life can be objectively measured and how.
Flandria said if the research proves effective then the organisation’s quality specifications will then be revised.
A spokesman said: “Even more so than is the case at the moment, the quality mark will then be reserved for white mushrooms and oyster mushrooms with a long shelf life.
“Flandria will be the first quality mark in Europe to offer retailers a scientifically conclusive shelf-life guarantee.”
