Avondale-based Basciani Foods has switched to packing its mushrooms in bags that are made from a patented material that allows them to breathe, writes Chris Koger for The Packer.

The mushroom farm that is also a packing and shipping company was ready to start commercial production of the new bags just before foodservice operators came to a standstill from COVID-19-related shutdowns.

“Orders started to trickle in when restaurants started doing take out, but nobody knew how much to order, what their demand would be – not the distributors or the restaurants,” said Fred Recchiuti, general manager of Basciani Foods.

So, Recchiuti asked foodservice operators if they would like a new package that would double the shelf life of mushrooms. He also began packing his own mushrooms with it.

Previously, the company had shipped mushrooms in five-pound tubes. However, this new packaging method uses only a fraction of the plastic required compared to the tubes.

Also, in addition to prolonging mushrooms’ shelf life, the packaging also protects against tampering.

Basciani Foods even provides clips to reseal the bags.

“Currently we only pack foodservice sliced mushrooms in the bags because they are our most perishable products,” said Recchiuti.

Read more about Basciani Foods in The Packer here.

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