Shelf life of β-glucan microcapsules from the medicinal mushrooms (Phellinus baumii and Ganoderma lucidum)

Abstract

This study was conducted to establish the shelf life of β-glucan microcapsules from the medicinal mushrooms (Phellinus baumii and Ganoderma lucidum). Changes in the quality attributes, including moisture content, color, and total bacterial count, of the β-glucan microcapsules were analyzed during storage for 5 months at 10℃, 25℃, and 40℃. The moisture content of β-glucan microcapsule from P. baumii did not show any significant difference during storage at 25℃ and 40℃, but decreased after 3 months storage at 10℃. The moisture content of the β-glucan microcapsule from G. lucidum showed slight increase and decrease during storage at 25℃ and 40℃, but at 10℃, showed an initial decrease for 3 months and then increased. ΔE values of β-glucan microcapsules from P. baumii and G. lucidum did not change during 5 months at various storage temperatures. The total bacterial count of the microcapsules from both P. baumii and G. lucidum maintained their initial values without significant changes according to storage period and temperature. Overall, the shelf life of β-glucan microcapsule from P. baumii was determined to be 30.11 months according to the moisture content and β-glucan microcapsule from G. lucidum was determined to be 24.82 months according to the total bacterial count. Thus, it is desirable to establish the storage period of 24 months at 25℃.