Research To Extend Shelf-Life Of Mushrooms UNIVERSITY PARK - Research at The Pennsylvania State University may lead to a new method of marketing fresh mushrooms that could increase their shelf-life, price and consumer demand. Storing mushrooms at tem peratures between 32 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit could extend mushroom shelf-life by as much as five days, according to Dr. Robert B. Beelman, professor of food science. “With this project we want to demonstrate what improvements in shelf-life could be made by controlling temperature and using a separate storage unit,” Beelman said. “Mushrooms are more perishable than most produce. With hard data like this we hope to convince grocery managers to adopt a different style of displaying mushrooms. ’ ’ Beelman’s research is partially funded through a challenge grant from the Advanced Technology What every ordinary spreader is trying to be. Years ago, Hedlund/Martin introduced a revolutionary new concept —the Scavenger spreader. It was the first spreader specifically manufactured to let you take advantage of today’s modern farming practices. And while some other spreaders now claim to give you the same versatility and capabilities you get from Scavenger, in the field —where it counts—they just don’t perform like Scavenger At Hedlund/Martin, we’ve been building Scavengers for years. Prior to introduction. Scavenger spent even more time in research and develop ment Through practical experience we know what works and what doesn’t And. frankly, a lot of the features appearing on other new spreaders are Innovators in modern manure management PHWSriYAWA ABRACZINSKAS FARM EQUIP. Catawlssa. PA 717-396-2333 MAM BARN SALES Westfield, PA 314-334-5904 BENCE'S FARM EQUIPMENT Bedford, PA 814-623-8601 CLUGSTON IMPLEMENT Chambersburg, PA 717-263-4103 DINSMORE'S SALES A SERVICE McDonald. PA 412-396-79*3 GUTSHALL'S INC. Carlisle PA 717-349-2313 Loysville, PA 717-789-4343 HESS FARM EQUIP. INC. Canton, PA 717-673-9143 HISTAND'S FARM A HOME Rome. PA 717-744-2371 Center of Central and Northern Pennsylvania Inc., Ben Franklin Partnership. Washed mushrooms deteriorate even more readily than dry-packed mushrooms, Beelman said, especially when stored at elevated temperatures. “This is mainly due to bacteria,” he added. “These bacteria like humid conditions. As a result the growth rate of bacteria is higher with an increase of moisture at a higher tem perature.” “Grocery store marketing has been heading toward mass display of produce,” he said. “Maybe to increase the impulse purchase or the idea of ‘great bounty’ or eye appeal. But as mushrooms deteriorate, their eye appeal goes down and the consumer is less likely to buy them.” Beelman will test the ef fectiveness of an open-faced refrigeration case a Pinnacle Upright Merchandiser in maintaining the low temperatures simply some of the bugs we worked out of the Scavenger years ago Scavenger is designed to be versa tile. It spreads the kinds of manure you handle today—liquid, semi-solid, pen pack-even frozen. In patterns perfect for you’re cropping needs— from heavy springtime spreading to fine, even top dressing. There are many reasons why Sca venger is such a hard worker Like the specially-designed, patented square auger to thoroughly break up manure as it moves through the tank Or the unique, Martin-designed Vanflo Dis charge to give you complete applica tion control Or any of the other special features that separate Scavenger even farther from the crowd Like heavy-duty, energy-efficient transmis- LONGENECKER, INC. Wllliwmlxuc. PA •14-793-3731 MARSHALL MACHINERY INC. Honesdale. PA 717-729-7117 ZIMMERMAN FARM SERVICE Bethel. PA 717-933-4114 BARTRON SUPPLY, INC. Tunkhannock, PA 717-036-4011 TOBIAS EQUIPMENT CO. Halilas. PA 717-362-3132 IVAN J. ZOOK Belleville. PA 717-939-2948 CLARK'S FARM SUPPLY Williamsport PA 717-494-0660 UMBERGER'S OF FONTANA Lebanon. PA 717-867-9161 needed to slow mushroom decay. The PUM looks like the freezer cases now present in grocery stores, but without the door, he said, adding: “An air curtain is in front. Cold air blows up the front. It keeps the mushrooms cold but doesn’t impede the consumer from reaching in and grabbing.” “We’re really just getting started on this. We want to assess whether the PUM will keep them cold when filled with the product. “We also want to test how ef ficiently the PUM uses electricity. The mushroom grower would provide the unit and would need to show test results of the amount of energy per week it uses. Perhaps it’s less than the unit that stores them now, even with the lower temperature employed.” Beelman said he will also test new additives for use in washing mushrooms. Sodium sulfite had been used to wash mushrooms before the FDA banned the chemical in August. “So now it is EEI & HENRY EQUIP.. INC. New Berllnvllle, PA 219-367-2169 CLUGSTON FARM EQUIPMENT Needmore. PA 717-973-2290 McOARVEY EQUIPMENT, INC. ReynoMsville. PA 814-693-9637 MELVIN J. SHEFFER, INC. Hanover. PA 717-637-3808 O.D. BARNETT A SONS Boswell. PA 814-629-9009 DUNKLE A GRIEB Center Hall PA 814-364-9109 Mill Hall PA 717-726-3119 LONE MAPLE SAS INC. New Alesandna. PA 412-668-7172 SANDY LAKE IMPLEMENT CO. Sandy Lake PA 413-376-2489 sions to reduce wear and tear on your tractor Full-frame Unibody construc tion for extra durability. And a distinctive tank design to eliminate leaks and improve spread capabilities. There’s even a choice of models to meet your operation’s individual needs So you buy the machine that’s the right size, the right capacity—and most importantly, the right price—for you For all the facts stop by your local Hedlund/Martin dealer for a demon stration See for yourself why Sca venger continues to be a leader in the spreader category it created. A Gehl Company HINES EQUIPMENT Cresson, PA 414-444-4143 REWYORR LOWVILLC SPORT & FARM Lowvdle, NY 315-374-3329 RBiRMRE DELRIDGE SUPPLY, INC. Greenwood. DE 302-349-4327 MRYUND H.R. DUVALL Frederick MD 301-443-1139 FARMER'S SUPPLY COMPANY Westminster MD 301-444-6776 HEW JERSEY SYSTEMA FEED SERVICE Sussex NJ 201-479-9449 difficult to wash the product and have it look nice,” he noted. “The sulfite had helped in preventing browning.” The Sno-Top Mushroom Farm Inc., Wampum, Pa., is cooperating in Beelman’s research. He said that research in cooperation with Penn State plant pathologists has “come up with a number of things they can do to manipulate the growing process to extend the shelf-life. It has to do with the number of bacteria on the mushrooms when harvested due to the way they’re watered.” Sno-Top workers have begun using some of the Penn State recommendations, according to Michael Swanik, company president. “We’re trying to make ob servations about the effects by noting color, cleanliness and shelf life,” Swanik said. “But at this stage it may be too soon to tell. We’re only a month or so into this project. But the initial impressions JONES DAIRY SERVICE Medford. NJ 609-247-7172 YHffIRM PRICE'S AG SERVICE Rocky Mt.VA 703-443-7236 GOODMAN TRUCK A TRACTOR Amelia. VA 404-941-2141 PHILLIPS EQUIP. CORP. Ruatburg, VA 404-421-3649 VALLEY IMPLEMENT SALES, INC. Harrisonburg, VA 703-434-9961 WRIGHT EQUIPMENT CO. Abingdon VA 703-624-9126 W. VIRGINIA ED LIPSCOM4'S EQUIPMENT Eglon WV 304-739-9239 we get are favorable.” The increased mushroom shelf life would enable companies such as Sno-Top to deliver less frequently to grocery stores. “They want to increase the time that mushrooms will look good,” Beelman said. “So that instead of a twice-a-week delivery they could deliver once a week.” “Part of the problem with the mushroom industry is over production or underconsumption, depending on how you look at it. Improvements in growing prac tices have resulted in a high yield which means low prices for the growers. But the consumer still pays a high price because the grocery store has a lot of loss.” Swanik said he hopes the Penn State research will help his company to sell a larger per centage of its mushrooms on the fresh market. “We’d like to induce more people to eat mushrooms and induce people to eat more mushrooms. We want to increase consumption as well as the price growers get for their mushrooms.” Burleigh Tops Wayne County DHIA HONESDALE - Kevin Burleigh, Pleasant Mount had the leading dairy herd in the Wayne County Dairy Herd Improvement Association in the December test period, according to the Wayne County Cooperative Extension Service. The herd of 44 Holsteins had a rolling herd average of 21,002 pounds of milk and 855 pounds of fat. Other top herds were: James Slocum, Susquehanna, 20,164 milk and 806 fat; Jack and Ella Chyle, Pleasant Mount, 20,271 milk and 732 fat; Charles P. Dennis, Honesdale, 20,154 and 713 fat; Kinghill Farm, Starrucca, 17,652 milk and 709 fat; Rowe Brothers, Honesdale, 19,506 milk and 701 fat; Golden Willow Holstein, Honesdale, 20,749 milk and 700 fat; Robert Fielding and Son, Lake Ariel, 18,732 milk and 696 fat; Paul Kennedy, Honesdale, 20,317 milk and 686 fat; and James Wood mansee, Lake Como, 17,919 milk and 682 fat. The cow completing the highest lactation of 305 days or less during the December test period was a 4- year-old Holstein owned by Kevin Burleigh, Pleasant Mount. “Ellen” produced 23,377 pounds of milk and 1,281 pounds of fat. Other top producers were number 5 owned by Michael Nebzydoski, Pleasant Mount, 23,498 milk and 992 fat; “Tillie” owned by Robert Fielding and Son, Lake Ariel, 23,024 milk and 918 fat; “Taffy” owned by Paul Harrison and Sons, Moscow, 24,995 milk and 905 fat; “Flossie” owned by Don B. and Wm. R. Bryant, Honesdale, 23,290 milk and 904 fat; “Lynn” owned by Anthony Worobey, Preston Park, 24,206 milk and 881 fat; “Glenda” owned by Kevin Burleigh, Pleasant Mount, 21,053 milk and 876 fat; “Babe” owned by Allan Schnakenberg, Equinunk, 18,428 milk and 857 fat; “Cher” also owned by Allan Schnaken berg, 19,630 mUk and 852 fat; and “Ora” owned by George Schmidt, Preston Park, 24,016 milk and 842 fat. r —" -I I THINKING OF W') ! l Ar vl S ' I READ LANCASTER FARMING'S ! I ADVERTISING TO FIND ALL I I YOUR NEEDS! i
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers