Articles
Dynamic modelling and monitoring the shelf life of fresh horticultural produce
Article number
1386_46
Pages
339 – 348
Language
English
Abstract
Highly perishable fresh horticultural products have a short shelf life from a few days to a few weeks.
The prediction of their shelf life under dynamic conditions is a challenging problem due to complex produce-ambient interactions and physiological variability.
Predictive shelf life models must be able to relate the sensible ambient conditions around the fresh produce to the quality indicators in the form of a simple and easy to measure parameter.
Here an integrated mathematical model for shelf life prediction based on respiration and transpiration was developed.
The model considers deterioration and moisture loss as shelf life indices simultaneously.
Additional parameters such as cumulative CO2 production after harvest were also used as a guide to predict shelf life.
This 3-term approach was developed for strawberry under packaged and non-packaged conditions under different supply chain scenarios from harvest to consumption.
The average cumulative CO2 produced up to the keeping quality varied in a narrow range of 6.09±0.21 g kg‑1, in spite of different perforation size and storage temperatures.
These results showed that regardless of the varying packaging and storage conditions, fresh produce have a tendency to produce a certain amount of cumulative CO2 before deteriorated to an acceptable limit.
Under realistic supply chain conditions, modified atmosphere packaging led to an 8-d shelf life limited by mass loss.
The proposed model will enable optimization of supply chain and produce advice to all role players, including growers, traders and consumers.
The prediction of their shelf life under dynamic conditions is a challenging problem due to complex produce-ambient interactions and physiological variability.
Predictive shelf life models must be able to relate the sensible ambient conditions around the fresh produce to the quality indicators in the form of a simple and easy to measure parameter.
Here an integrated mathematical model for shelf life prediction based on respiration and transpiration was developed.
The model considers deterioration and moisture loss as shelf life indices simultaneously.
Additional parameters such as cumulative CO2 production after harvest were also used as a guide to predict shelf life.
This 3-term approach was developed for strawberry under packaged and non-packaged conditions under different supply chain scenarios from harvest to consumption.
The average cumulative CO2 produced up to the keeping quality varied in a narrow range of 6.09±0.21 g kg‑1, in spite of different perforation size and storage temperatures.
These results showed that regardless of the varying packaging and storage conditions, fresh produce have a tendency to produce a certain amount of cumulative CO2 before deteriorated to an acceptable limit.
Under realistic supply chain conditions, modified atmosphere packaging led to an 8-d shelf life limited by mass loss.
The proposed model will enable optimization of supply chain and produce advice to all role players, including growers, traders and consumers.
Authors
A. Jalali, M. Linke, M. Geyer, P.V. Mahajan
Keywords
quality, shelf-life, physiological metabolism, modified atmosphere packaging
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