ISHS Acta Horticulturae 343: Physiological Basis of Postharvest Technologies
SUITABILITY OF VARIOUS PLASTIC FILMS FOR MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: GAS TRANSFER PROPERTIES AND EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATION |
| Authors: | A. Exama, J. Arul, R. Lencki, Z. Li |
| Abstract:
Fruits and vegetables are perishable products which actively metabolize during the postharvest phase. The use of low temperature is probably the most important means of extending the storage life of postharvest produce. Modifying the gas atmosphere inside an enclosure containing the stored produce can also decrease the respiration rate and thus further extend the storage life. Altered gas atmospheres can be passively created and maintained by flexible film packaging, a process known as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). In a sealed package containing produce, a modified atmosphere is created naturally as a result of O2 uptake and CO2 production in the respiratory process. Eventually, steady-state concentrations of O2, CO2 and the third gas N2 are established passively at a given temperature when the rates of O2 consumption and CO2 production of the crop equal the rates of permeation of these gases through the package. The magnitude of the CO2 increase and O2 decrease at steady-state is dependent on the gas flux through the film. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from MAP, the steady-state gas concentrations should correspond to the storage optima for a given crop. Thus, the objective was to examine the performance of a wide range of commercially available films when used in consumer size packages for passive creation of optimum modified atmospheres. The effect of storage temperature variations on the performance of various films used in packaging was also examined. | |
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