Articles
TEST OF A RESPIRATION MODEL FOR A CELERY PLANTS MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING SYSTEM AT COMMERCIAL PALLET SCALE
Article number
674_69
Pages
531 – 536
Language
English
Abstract
For shipping celery to far markets modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) at pallet scale by using a silicone membrane system could be developed.
The design of a model package for pallets of 450 kg of celery was studied.
Celery were placed within model packages designed by us, made with an impermeable film with 0.2 and 0.3 dm2/kg of silicone membrane window, in order to reach a suitable atmosphere of about 3 4 kPa O2 and 7 8 kPa CO2. According to our previous experiments in bell pepper two kind of silicone membrane windows were chosen.
Permeability ranges to O2 and CO2 of the membranes were 4,500 5,250 mL O2 dm-2 d-1 and 10,125 14,000 mL CO2 dm-2 d-1. The storage conditions were 21 days under MAP at 5 °C and 95% RH, followed by a shelf life in air of 2 days at 15°C and 70 kPa RH. As control partially unsealed packages (air atmosphere and 95% RH) were used.
After cold storage and shelf life decay and visual appearance were monitored.
Throughout 20 days at 0 and 5°C in air or in 5 kPa O2 and 5 kPa CO2 atmospheres the respiration rate of the celery was monitored.
The gas composition considered suitable was almost reached using the membrane with higher gas permeability at 5°C. Nevertheless at 5°C celery plants under the assayed MAP storage showed slightly better quality and lower decay than control.
The design of a model package for pallets of 450 kg of celery was studied.
Celery were placed within model packages designed by us, made with an impermeable film with 0.2 and 0.3 dm2/kg of silicone membrane window, in order to reach a suitable atmosphere of about 3 4 kPa O2 and 7 8 kPa CO2. According to our previous experiments in bell pepper two kind of silicone membrane windows were chosen.
Permeability ranges to O2 and CO2 of the membranes were 4,500 5,250 mL O2 dm-2 d-1 and 10,125 14,000 mL CO2 dm-2 d-1. The storage conditions were 21 days under MAP at 5 °C and 95% RH, followed by a shelf life in air of 2 days at 15°C and 70 kPa RH. As control partially unsealed packages (air atmosphere and 95% RH) were used.
After cold storage and shelf life decay and visual appearance were monitored.
Throughout 20 days at 0 and 5°C in air or in 5 kPa O2 and 5 kPa CO2 atmospheres the respiration rate of the celery was monitored.
The gas composition considered suitable was almost reached using the membrane with higher gas permeability at 5°C. Nevertheless at 5°C celery plants under the assayed MAP storage showed slightly better quality and lower decay than control.
Authors
V.H. Escalona, F. Ortega, F. Artés-Hernández, E. Aguayo, F. Artés
Keywords
Packaging design, silicone membrane, controlled atmosphere, decay
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