Researchers discovered that adding a beneficial bacteria called Bacillus velezensis UTB96 to mushroom growing substrates significantly improves both the amount of mushrooms produced and how long they stay fresh. When this bacteria was grown in a medium containing calcium chloride, it produced more of an enzyme called ACC deaminase that breaks down ethylene, a gas that causes mushrooms to age and brown. Mushrooms treated with this specially-prepared bacteria stayed fresher for three weeks in the refrigerator with minimal browning, and overall mushroom yield increased by up to 23%.