Articles
Modeling shelf life of strawberry in two layered master packaging system
Article number
1382_18
Pages
139 – 146
Language
English
Abstract
This study examined and constructed a comprehensive picture of shelf life as a function of presale chilled storage time and retail temperature for a master packaging system containing 6 inner primary packages of strawberries within a secondary outer bag.
The system was composed of six 270 g individual packages of micro-perforated oriented polypropylene (30 μm) contained in 50 μm low density polyethylene bag.
Mass balance equations of O2, CO2 and N2 for the primary and secondary packages were constructed as ordinary differential equations to estimate their gas concentrations and resultant produce respiration through the presale and retail storage.
The established model was validated by comparing the experimental package atmosphere to the estimations at 15 d at 0°C for different micro-perforations (89 μm) on the primary package, and then used for shelf life estimation of an optimal condition of 5 perforations.
Shelf life was defined as time for the accumulated respiration as an index of quality loss to reach the critical limit of 0.93 mol kg-1 amounting to the value to be met by 10 day storage at 10°C under optimal modified atmosphere of 7% O2 and 18% CO2. Dismantling of secondary master pack at point of retail display is found to result in equilibration of the primary package atmosphere within shelf life period.
The increased retail temperature may cause decreased O2 and increased CO2 concentration even after removing the layer of secondary package.
Total shelf life from packaging to 10°C retail display though dismantling the master pack is predicted to increase proportionally to presale chilled storage time at 0°C, even though retail life decreases inversely proportionally to the latter to the slighter extent.
Higher retail temperature greatly shortens shelf life with risk of creation of anoxic or too high CO2 concentration, where 20°C is the highest permissible temperature.
The system was composed of six 270 g individual packages of micro-perforated oriented polypropylene (30 μm) contained in 50 μm low density polyethylene bag.
Mass balance equations of O2, CO2 and N2 for the primary and secondary packages were constructed as ordinary differential equations to estimate their gas concentrations and resultant produce respiration through the presale and retail storage.
The established model was validated by comparing the experimental package atmosphere to the estimations at 15 d at 0°C for different micro-perforations (89 μm) on the primary package, and then used for shelf life estimation of an optimal condition of 5 perforations.
Shelf life was defined as time for the accumulated respiration as an index of quality loss to reach the critical limit of 0.93 mol kg-1 amounting to the value to be met by 10 day storage at 10°C under optimal modified atmosphere of 7% O2 and 18% CO2. Dismantling of secondary master pack at point of retail display is found to result in equilibration of the primary package atmosphere within shelf life period.
The increased retail temperature may cause decreased O2 and increased CO2 concentration even after removing the layer of secondary package.
Total shelf life from packaging to 10°C retail display though dismantling the master pack is predicted to increase proportionally to presale chilled storage time at 0°C, even though retail life decreases inversely proportionally to the latter to the slighter extent.
Higher retail temperature greatly shortens shelf life with risk of creation of anoxic or too high CO2 concentration, where 20°C is the highest permissible temperature.
Authors
Dong Sun Lee, Duck Soon An
Keywords
strawberry, shelf life, master pack, modified atmosphere, respiration, distribution
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