Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support to the research centres CIMO (PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011) and REQUIMTE (PEst-C/EQB/LA0006/2011). Â. Fernandes, J.C.M. Barreira and A.L. Antonio thank to FCT, POPH-QREN and FSE for their grants (SFRH/BD/76019/2011, SFRH/BPD/72802/2010 and SFRH/PROTEC/67398/2010, respectively).
It was previously demonstrated that gamma irradiation was the processing technology with the highest capacity to maintain the chemical profile of fresh Macrolepiota procera wild mushroom, when compared to freeze-dried or oven-dried samples. Herein, it was aimed to evaluate gamma irradiation effects on processed samples. Chemical composition and antioxidant potential of irradiated (0.5 and 1 kGy) fresh, frozen and dried samples were determined by chromatographic techniques and in vitro assays, respectively. M. procera irradiation attenuated the effects caused by oven-drying or freezing; combining freeze treatment with 0.5 kGy dose preserved total tocopherols. Rather than a conservation methodology, gamma irradiation might act as a useful adjuvant to other conservation techniques (e.g., freezing or oven-drying).
