Articles
Evaluation of micro-perforated LDPE bags for reduction of postharvest moisture loss and shrivelling in Japanese plums
Article number
1201_34
Pages
253 – 258
Language
English
Abstract
Plums produced in South Africa take up to eight weeks in shipping time to reach overseas markets.
Significant weight loss and fruit with a shrivelled appearance is often a consequence of this extended shipping period.
This leads to consignments being rejected, or requiring costly repacking, leading to significant financial losses for the industry.
A range of HDPE and LDPE bags with different numbers of macro- and micro-perforations were evaluated for reduction of moisture loss and shrivelling on susceptible ‘Laetitia’, ‘Sapphire’ and ‘African Delight™’ plums from the Franschhoek growing area, during two consecutive seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17). Five treatment bags, with five replications/boxes treatment-1, were evaluated for each cultivar.
Compared to the HDPE macro-perforated shrivel sheet used currently, LDPE bags with micro-perforations (92, 72 and 4) decreased the fruit weight loss and shrivel in all cultivars, but only significantly in ‘Sapphire’. ‘Laetitia’ and ‘Sapphire’ had a very low shrivel incidence in 2016/17 (3.54 and 6.82%), and even though the LDPE bags reduced shrivel incidence, no additional benefit was derived from using bags. ‘African Delight™’ had a higher shrivel incidence in season two (24%), and while the bags decreased the shrivel percentage by 22%, it was not reduced below the threshold value of 10%. LDPE bags with 72 micro-perforations could be a solution to reduce moisture loss and shrivelling in these plum cultivars, while maintaining fruit quality.
LDPE bags with only 4 micro-perforations also reduced the moisture loss and shrivelling, but caused an increase in chilling injury.
Significant weight loss and fruit with a shrivelled appearance is often a consequence of this extended shipping period.
This leads to consignments being rejected, or requiring costly repacking, leading to significant financial losses for the industry.
A range of HDPE and LDPE bags with different numbers of macro- and micro-perforations were evaluated for reduction of moisture loss and shrivelling on susceptible ‘Laetitia’, ‘Sapphire’ and ‘African Delight™’ plums from the Franschhoek growing area, during two consecutive seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17). Five treatment bags, with five replications/boxes treatment-1, were evaluated for each cultivar.
Compared to the HDPE macro-perforated shrivel sheet used currently, LDPE bags with micro-perforations (92, 72 and 4) decreased the fruit weight loss and shrivel in all cultivars, but only significantly in ‘Sapphire’. ‘Laetitia’ and ‘Sapphire’ had a very low shrivel incidence in 2016/17 (3.54 and 6.82%), and even though the LDPE bags reduced shrivel incidence, no additional benefit was derived from using bags. ‘African Delight™’ had a higher shrivel incidence in season two (24%), and while the bags decreased the shrivel percentage by 22%, it was not reduced below the threshold value of 10%. LDPE bags with 72 micro-perforations could be a solution to reduce moisture loss and shrivelling in these plum cultivars, while maintaining fruit quality.
LDPE bags with only 4 micro-perforations also reduced the moisture loss and shrivelling, but caused an increase in chilling injury.
Authors
I. Kritzinger, K.I. Theron, E. Lötze
Keywords
cold storage, macro-perforation, micro-perforation, packaging, postharvest
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