Articles
Optimising package perforation and headspace gas atmosphere in carrot packages stored under chilled and abused temperature conditions
Article number
1386_25
Pages
183 – 190
Language
English
Abstract
Unpackaged carrots (Daucus carota L.) are prone to weight loss giving rubbery texture and loss of crispiness.
Hence, in Norway carrots are packaged in micro-perforated plastic film before distribution and sales in grocery stores.
The number and size of the perforations determine the gas atmosphere in the packages.
Low levels of O2 combined with high levels of CO2 should be avoided in order to reduce risk of enhanced decay and development of ethanol odour and taste.
The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality of carrots wrapped in plastic films with different number of perforations and subsequent different headspace gas atmospheres.
Two batches with different initial quality of Triton and Panther carrots were packaged in flowpack film with three perforation patterns: 1) two rows of 100 µm perforations per 7 mm (denoted Open), 2) one row of 100 µm perforations per 7 mm (denoted Summer), and 3) one row of 100 µm perforations per 14 mm (denoted Winter). Quality and edibility of the carrots was evaluated after 15 days at 2 storage regimes; 3 days at 4°C + 12 days at 6°C (Chilled) and 3 days at 4°C + 3 days at 20°C + 9 days at 6°C (abused, hereafter denoted Realistic). Most of the carrots (90%) of Triton was not edible after 15 days at Realistic storage, whereas 10% was not edible at Chilled storage.
For the two batches of Panther, 3 to 14% of the carrots was not edible after 15 days at Realistic storage and 0 to 7.5% was not edible at Chilled storage.
Our results clearly demonstrated large differences in quality for the two carrot cultivars and the detrimental effect on quality by a short period of storage at abused temperature in the distribution chain.
Hence, in Norway carrots are packaged in micro-perforated plastic film before distribution and sales in grocery stores.
The number and size of the perforations determine the gas atmosphere in the packages.
Low levels of O2 combined with high levels of CO2 should be avoided in order to reduce risk of enhanced decay and development of ethanol odour and taste.
The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality of carrots wrapped in plastic films with different number of perforations and subsequent different headspace gas atmospheres.
Two batches with different initial quality of Triton and Panther carrots were packaged in flowpack film with three perforation patterns: 1) two rows of 100 µm perforations per 7 mm (denoted Open), 2) one row of 100 µm perforations per 7 mm (denoted Summer), and 3) one row of 100 µm perforations per 14 mm (denoted Winter). Quality and edibility of the carrots was evaluated after 15 days at 2 storage regimes; 3 days at 4°C + 12 days at 6°C (Chilled) and 3 days at 4°C + 3 days at 20°C + 9 days at 6°C (abused, hereafter denoted Realistic). Most of the carrots (90%) of Triton was not edible after 15 days at Realistic storage, whereas 10% was not edible at Chilled storage.
For the two batches of Panther, 3 to 14% of the carrots was not edible after 15 days at Realistic storage and 0 to 7.5% was not edible at Chilled storage.
Our results clearly demonstrated large differences in quality for the two carrot cultivars and the detrimental effect on quality by a short period of storage at abused temperature in the distribution chain.
Authors
H. Larsen, A.B. Wold
Keywords
Daucus carrota L., modified atmosphere, weight loss, decay, edibility
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