Australian Mushroom Supply Chain Best Practice Guide
Consistent mushroom quality at retail is essential to keep consumers not just satisfied, but buying more mushrooms. The quality of the mushrooms that reach the retail display depends on many factors, including effective pre-harvest management, well managed harvesting and packing operations, fast cooling and accurate temperature control.
Drawing on the latest international research, as well as data collected in 2024 from Australian mushroom supply chains, this guide aims to summarise best practice for all those involved in growing, packing, transporting and retailing mushrooms. It includes guidelines on how the key factors affecting mushroom quality can be managed as well as actions needed to supply consistent, high-quality mushrooms the end-consumer.
This guide is suitable for all supply chain participants, from grower to retail. “If we can manage the supply chain properly, we reduce rejections at distribution centres, improve retail quality, minimise waste, and ensure food safety. That’s got to be another step towards a better mushroom industry for all” – Dr Jenny Ekman, Project Leader, MU22011.
Fact sheet: Measuring temperature
Measuring temperature is not so straightforward. By measuring temperature, you are actually measuring the effect of the energy within the mushrooms on another item – usually a metal temperature probe.
Managing temperature is not only essential to maintain postharvest quality, but also to meet retailer specifications. Mushrooms must be delivered below 5 Celsius. Given a usual storage temperature of 2-3 Celsius, followed by transport and potentially some ‘self-heating’ inside the punnets, they can be perilously close to this limit when delivered.
Measuring temperature sounds easy, but a number of things need to be considered, including calibrating your thermometer.
This fact sheet, prepared by Dr Jenny Ekman, describes the best ways to measure temperature in punnets of whole mushrooms and sliced mushrooms. Dr Ekman also provides insight into best practice calibration of temperature probes.
MushroomLink fact sheet: Nitrogen and compost
What is the role of nitrogen in compost, how does it transform or ‘get lost’ from Phase I through to cropping, and what are the key considerations when adding compost to boost nitrogen in the substrate?
Fact sheet: Storing Chemicals Safely
A new factsheet on chemical storage – and keeping your shed clean, safe and organised – is now available. The factsheet includes:
Important design elements for a good chemical shed
Tips for storing different classes of chemicals
Key inclusions for worker health and safety
Fact sheet: Mushroom nutrition and health messages
While we know that mushrooms are good for our health, making claims to this effect is a little more complicated.
Nutritional claims linked to food are highly regulated and statements need to be carefully crafted.
To help growers, chefs, personal trainers, social medial influencers, or anyone wanting to spruik mushrooms, the Australian Mushroom Growers Association (AMGA) teamed up with nutrition specialists to create a comprehensive set of statements that complies with strict FSANZ guidelines.
The AMGA teamed up with nutrition specialists to create a comprehensive guide about what you can actually say about mushrooms that complies with the strict guidelines.
This AMGA funded project set out to create a list of pre-crafted statements that can be used by growers looking to create their own marketing pathways/business plans, personal trainers, social media influences, celebrity chef and more
Divided into key categories of overarching statements, statements by health outcomes, and statement about diet type. Uses of the guide can use this resource to make confident claims.
This fact sheet has been created to outline the range of health benefits that can be attributed to the nutrients found in mushrooms. The statements in this document are a more consumer-friendly version of permitted nutrition and health claims that comply with FSANZ Code.
Additionally, consumer research was recently undertaken (which is also available in the grower portal), which tells us that health claims about mushrooms and immunity, as well as calcium absorption are the most likely to resonate and prompt purchase, and therefore are good claims to consider in any of your communications.
NUTRITION AND HEALTH MESSAGES ABOUT MUSHROOMS
This fact sheet has been created to outline the range of health benefits that can be
attributed to the nutrients found in mushrooms. The statements in this document are a
more consumer-friendly version of permitted nutrition and health claims that comply with
the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Additionally, consumer research was recently undertaken (which is also available in the
grower portal), which tells us that health claims about mushrooms and immunity, as well as
calcium absorption are the most likely to resonate and prompt purchase, and therefore are
good claims to consider in any of your communications.
06. SOLAR POWER GENERATION
Part of the Hort Innovation project MU17008 - Understanding and managing the impacts of climate change on Australian mushroom production, this is the sixth in a series of six factsheets
05. EFFICIENT USE AND RE-USE OF WATER
Part of the Hort Innovation project MU17008 - Understanding and managing the impacts of climate change on Australian mushroom production, this is the fifth in a series of six factsheets
04. EFFICIENT ENERGY USE
Part of the Hort Innovation project MU17008 - Understanding and managing the impacts of climate change on Australian mushroom production, this is the fourth in a series of six factsheets
03. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Part of the Hort Innovation project MU17008 - Understanding and managing the impacts of climate change on Australian mushroom production, this is the third in a series of six factsheets
02. ALTERNATIVE CASING MATERIALS
Part of the Hort Innovation project MU17008 - Understanding and managing the impacts of climate change on Australian mushroom production, this is the second in a series of six factsheets
01. ENERGY GENERATION FROM SPENT MUSHROOM COMPOST
Part of the Hort Innovation project MU17008 - Understanding and managing the impacts of climate change on Australian mushroom production, this is the first in a series of six factsheets