Evaluation of the Impact of Nitrous oxide use on Quality and Shelf life of Packaged Fresh-cut ‘Iceberg’ Lettuce and Wild Rocket

• Main Authors: F.A. Ansah, M.L. Amodio, G. Colelli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. 2015-09-01
• Series: Chemical Engineering Transactions
• Online Access: https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/3282

Shelf life of fresh-cut salad is limited by deterioration of quality characteristics during storage. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of the use of non conventional nitrous oxide gas in maintaining the quality of fresh-cut ‘Iceberg’ lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and Wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in comparison to nitrogen gas. Leaves of rocket and cut ‘Iceberg’ lettuce were washed, dried and packaged fresh in two different non-micro perforated plastic film bags (polypropylene+polyamide, PP+PA and polypropylene + polyethylene terephthalate, PP+PET). The headspace of each pair of two plastic films was filled and sealed with three gas mix treatment compositions: (97 % N2O + 3 % O2), (50 % N2O + 47 % N2 + 3 % O2) and (97 % N2 + 3 % O2) for “Iceberg lettuce” and two gas mix treatments: (95% N2O + 5 % O2) and (95 % N2 + 5 % O2) for rocket leaves. Lettuce and rocket leaves were stored over a period of 9 days and 12 days respectively at 5 oC. Results showed that the two plastic films maintained the nitrous oxide concentration within the bags, with some slight differences in O2 and CO2 concentrations. No significant differences (p