Issue with not being able to append value using Php in loop

Question

I'm using php and phpexcel, I have the following array ($data), I want to search and append the array value in php, for example, I want to change the user's "link" value (want to append after the previous value "txt") whose email id is "cde@gmail.com" but it is not working properly, I mean after refreshing the page it removes the previous "append" value and appends the current value but I want to keep What should I do with the previous value? This is my current array

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [email] => abc@gmail.com
            [link] => abc,xyz,def
         )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [email] => cde@gmail.com
            [link] => cde,abb
        )
...

Desired result (adding "bbb" while removing "abb")

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [email] => abc@gmail.com
            [link] => abc,xyz,def
         )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [email] => cde@gmail.com
            [link] => cde,abb,bbb
        )
...

I tried the following code, but it will "delete" the previous value ("abb"), and I want to append the new value to the previous value

$searchEmail = 'cde@gmail.com';
$appendString = 'bbb';
foreach ($set_excel_query_all as $key => &$item) {
   if ($item['email'] == $searchEmail) {
      $item['link'] .= ',' . $appendString;
      break;
   }
}
unset($item);

Answer 1

I ran into the same error yesterday as you did here. Try this code

$searchEmail = 'cde@gmail.com';
$appendString = 'bbb';
foreach ($set_excel_query_all as $key => $item) {
if ($item['email'] == $searchEmail) {
  $set_excel_query_all[$key]['link'] .= ',' . $appendString;
  break;
}
}
unset($item);