ISHS Acta Horticulturae 674: III International Symposium on Applications of Modelling as an Innovative Technology in the Agri-Food Chain; MODEL-IT
THE EFFECT OF RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING GAS EXCHANGE |
| Authors: | E.M. Yahia, J.C. Guevara, L.M.M. Tijskens, L. Cedeño |
| Keywords: | Postharvest, Opuntia spp., permeability, respiration, diffusion, model |
| Abstract:
A model to estimate gas profile of modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) prickly pear cactus stems was developed and calibrated. The model describes the transient gas exchange taking in consideration the effect of temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) on film permeability (FPgas), respiration rate (Rx) and tissue permeance (TPgas). A diffusion cell was constructed to determine FPgas to O2 and CO2 at the different conditions of T and RH. The integration of the T, RH and TPgas to the model allowed a more precise description of the in-package gas concentration. The effect of T on FPgas, TPgas and Rx is described by the Arrhenius equation. Rx and TPgas decreased and FPgas increased as RH increased. RH, in the range of 65 to 90%, has a marked effect on the rate of gas exchange, especially for CO2, and consequently on the gas equilibrium inside MA packages. | |
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