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MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF STRAWBERRIES BY COMBINED EFFECT OF AQUEOUS CHLORINE DIOXIDE WITH MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING
Author(s) -
ADAY MEHMET SECKIN,
BUYUKCAN MEHMET BURAK,
CANER CENGIZ
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of food processing and preservation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.511
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1745-4549
pISSN - 0145-8892
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2012.00697.x
Subject(s) - modified atmosphere , postharvest , titratable acid , chemistry , sugar , respiration rate , chlorine dioxide , shelf life , food science , horticulture , botany , respiration , biology , organic chemistry
This study evaluated the efficiency of various concentrations (3, 6 and 9 ppm) of ClO 2 and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Quality criteria of fresh strawberries were analyzed during storage. Highest CO 2 and lowest O 2 levels were observed inside the package for the control (without ClO 2 ) group. ClO 2 treatments were effective in retaining pH and titratable acidity. After 25 days, ClO 2 groups exhibited low conductivity (3.4–3.5 µS/cm) and high L * values, around 30, compared with the control group. ClO 2 was effective in maintaining the stability of anthocyanin. At day 6, the 9 ppm group had the highest a * value (30.06). Firmness values were in the range of 280–300 g for the ClO 2 ‐treated group and around 100 g for the control group at the end of storage. Fourier transform near‐infrared spectra gave comprehensive information about the water and sugar contents of the strawberries. The overall results indicated that ClO 2 treatment and MAP had significant effect on the postharvest quality of fresh strawberries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Strawberries are highly perishable fruits due to high respiration rate, and require protection during storage. The present study demonstrated that combination of various ClO 2 concentrations and modified atmosphere packaging technologies is capable of maintaining the shelf life of fresh strawberries and has been suggested as an interesting alternative to traditional sanitizers. Also, Fourier transform near‐infrared measurements provided good estimates of the internal quality indices of the fresh strawberries.