Articles
MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING IN BLUEBERRIES: EFFECT OF HARVEST TIME AND MOMENT OF BAG SEALING
Article number
1017_16
Pages
153 – 158
Language
English
Abstract
The use of modified atmosphere in the packaging of fresh blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L. Brigitta) was studied as a function of harvest time and moment of bag sealing.
In trial 1, four treatments were established considering harvest time (morning: am or afternoon: pm), and moment of bag sealing: before or after cooling at 0°C. In trial 2, the packaging system was compared to a control treatment, without bag, for am- and pm-harvested fruit.
After harvest fruit were placed under shading and subjected to 6 h delay before sorting.
Berries were stored for 30 and 45 d at 0°C and evaluated after 1 and 3 d at 18°C (30+1, 30+3, 45+1, 45+3). Evaluations included: %O2 and %CO2 evolution within the bags, berry firmness (g/mm) and fruit quality (% sound, rotten, dehydrated or mechanically-damaged fruit). Results show that the use of bags increased the proportion of sound fruit (80-90%) with regards to controls (<60%), especially in the evaluations at 30+3, 45+1 and 45+3. Bagging increased the % of sound fruit in the am vs. pm; however, there was no effect of time of bag sealing.
The main effect of bagging was a lower proportion of dehydrated fruit; which amounted to 4-10% in bag treatments vs. 20-30% for control fruit.
Additionally bagging retained fruit firmness, both for AM- and PM-harvested fruit.
Since bagging had little effect on gas composition, its effect must be studied further.
These results evidence a high potential for the use of modified atmosphere packaging for boat shipping of blueberries for distant markets.
In trial 1, four treatments were established considering harvest time (morning: am or afternoon: pm), and moment of bag sealing: before or after cooling at 0°C. In trial 2, the packaging system was compared to a control treatment, without bag, for am- and pm-harvested fruit.
After harvest fruit were placed under shading and subjected to 6 h delay before sorting.
Berries were stored for 30 and 45 d at 0°C and evaluated after 1 and 3 d at 18°C (30+1, 30+3, 45+1, 45+3). Evaluations included: %O2 and %CO2 evolution within the bags, berry firmness (g/mm) and fruit quality (% sound, rotten, dehydrated or mechanically-damaged fruit). Results show that the use of bags increased the proportion of sound fruit (80-90%) with regards to controls (<60%), especially in the evaluations at 30+3, 45+1 and 45+3. Bagging increased the % of sound fruit in the am vs. pm; however, there was no effect of time of bag sealing.
The main effect of bagging was a lower proportion of dehydrated fruit; which amounted to 4-10% in bag treatments vs. 20-30% for control fruit.
Additionally bagging retained fruit firmness, both for AM- and PM-harvested fruit.
Since bagging had little effect on gas composition, its effect must be studied further.
These results evidence a high potential for the use of modified atmosphere packaging for boat shipping of blueberries for distant markets.
Authors
C. Moggia, G.A. Lobos , J.B. Retamales
Keywords
MAP, decay, dehydration, firmness, softening, gas analysis, long-term storage, CO2 and O2
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