The mushroom sector in Europe plays a central role in supplying fresh mushrooms to the continental market, with 98% of domestic consumption coming from European producers. However, the recent introduction of the EU Regulation 2025/40, which imposes strict restrictions on the use of single-use plastic packaging, threatens to seriously jeopardize the marketing of an extremely delicate product such as cultivated mushrooms.
Cultivated mushrooms, in particular Agaricus bisporus, are characterized by high perishability and sensitivity to external factors. Their water content of over 90% makes them particularly susceptible to dehydration and loss of quality in a very short time. In addition, their soft structure exposes them to physical damage such as scratches and bruises, which undermine their integrity and commercial appeal.
Andrea Prando, President of the Italian Mushroom Growers' Association
Currently, the most effective solution to guarantee the quality and safety of these products is the use of plastic trays with plastic stretch wrap. This type of packaging offers many advantages:
- Retention of internal moisture, preventing premature drying of the product;
- Protection from shocks and contamination, ensuring adequate hygienic conditions;
- Extended shelf life, reducing spoilage and food waste.
An experimental study conducted in 2020 by the CTIFL - Interprofessional Technical Center for Fruit and Vegetables in France showed that the shelf life of mushrooms without protective film is drastically reduced to only 35 hours, while the use of plastic film allows it to be extended up to 53 hours. This highlights how the elimination of single-use plastic packaging can lead to an increase in food waste and a reduction in the availability of a quality product to the consumer. A similar study was also conducted by the Italian University of Padua - Dafnae Department, confirming the same issues of product shelf life and perishability.
The Impact of the EU Regulation 2025/40
The new regulation introduces significant restrictions to reduce the use of plastics in food packaging. Key measures include the elimination of single-use packaging for certain fresh fruits and vegetables, a requirement to increase the reuse and recycling of packaging materials, and the imposition of strict packaging design standards.
While these measures are essential to reducing environmental impact, they do not take into account the unique nature of some products, such as cultivated mushrooms, for which there are no viable packaging alternatives. Currently, cardboard or wooden trays are available, but do not offer the same effectiveness in protecting the product and are more expensive to produce. In addition, there is no effective solution to replace stretch film that guarantees optimal preservation of the mushroom.
The GEPC's request for exemption and the support of the Italian Mushroom Growers Association
The GEPC - European Mushroom Growers Group, representing the European mushroom industry with 11 national delegations, has asked the European Commission for an exemption from the ban on single-use plastic packaging for cultivated mushrooms. This request is based on three main factors:
- The need to maintain the quality and safety of the product: without proper packaging, mushrooms deteriorate rapidly, with negative consequences for the supply chain.
- The lack of viable and sustainable alternatives in the short term: there is currently no alternative to plastic that offers the same level of protection and preservation.
- The reduction of food waste: the current packaging contributes to the minimization of food waste, in line with EU environmental goals.
The Italian Association of Mushroom Growers, a member of the GEPC, has expressed its full support for this initiative. Andrea Prando, president of the association, highlights that "the indiscriminate adoption of the new rules could damage the sector without offering realistic solutions for the preservation of mushrooms. He therefore calls on the European and Italian institutions to take into account the characteristics of mushroom production and to work with the sector to identify sustainable strategies that will not compromise the marketing and quality of the product."
"The introduction of the EU Regulation 2025/40 is an important step towards reducing the environmental impact of packaging," concludes Prando, "but it cannot ignore the needs of extremely delicate products such as cultivated mushrooms. An indiscriminate application of the single-use plastic ban risks jeopardizing the entire European mushroom sector, increasing waste, and reducing the availability of quality mushrooms for consumers. In that regard, observations have already been sent both to the relevant Italian ministries and through the GEPC to seriously consider the issue, within the limits allowed by the Regulation."
For more information:
AIF - Italian Association of Mushroom Growers
Via Torricelli, 71/A
37100 Verona - Italy
+39 045 952058
info@fun.go.it
www.fun.go.it