Effects of Polyethylene Thickness, Gas Combination and Temperature on Shelf Life and Quality of Strawberry

• Main Authors: Laleh Khankeshi, Reza Tabatabaekoloor, Seyed Jafar Hashemi
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Research Institute of Food Science and Technology 2019-02-01
• Series: Pizhūhish va Nuāvarī dar ̒Ulūm va Sanāyi̒-i Ghaz̠āyī
• Subjects: gas composition; modified atmosphere; strawberry; temperature
• Online Access: http://journals.rifst.ac.ir/article_82965_62b16f8c982f6c9d4df38b8df42efc9e.pdf
• ISSN: 2252-0937; 2538-2357

In this research, the effect of modified atmosphere packaging on the quality and shelf life of strawberries was investigated. For packing strawberries 3 gas compositions (air, N₂75%+CO₂15%+O₂10% and N₂75%+CO₂10%+O₂15%), polyethylene lining in 3 thickness of 30, 50 and 90 <em>m</em>m and 2 storage temperatures 4±1 and 8±1 °C were used. The effect of treatments on weight loss, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH in strawberries at 20 days after storage was studied in a completely randomized design with factorial experiment in 3 replications. Results showed that the effects of gas composition and temperature on all of the mentioned factors are significant (<em>P</em>≤0.01), but the effect of the thickness of the polyethylene (PE) lining is only significant on the percentage of weight loss, soluble solids and titratable acidity (<em>P</em>≤0.01). The quality and quantity characteristics of strawberries were maintained better at temperature of 4 °C due to reduced breathing, evaporation and transpiration. The polyethylene lining at thickness of 90 <em>m</em>m, maintained the qualitative and quantitative qualities of the product due to low permeability and maintaining the moisture around the product within the package. The first gas composition (N₂75%+CO₂15%+O₂10%) was more suitable for keeping the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of strawberries due to more CO₂ and reduced respiration. As a result, strawberries packed in a 90 <em>m</em>m thick polyethylene lining and a gas mixture (N₂75%+CO₂10%+O₂15%) at 4 °C had the best quality and highest durability.