Abstract
The objective of this study was to develop and demonstrate the effectiveness of a new method for maintaining the quality of fresh produce transported in mixed cargo by sea. We devised a method consisting of a large box with the same effect as modified atmosphere packaging, where fresh produce is placed together. The box was referred to as the “freshness-preserving box.” A prototype was prepared using rigid corrugated cardboard and film with high gas permeability, and 47 different kinds of fresh produce were placed inside the box and transported from Japan to Singapore. Upon arrival, the quality was compared with the controls. During transport, the relative humidity inside the freshness-preserving boxes remained approximately 5% higher than that in the containers, and the carbon dioxide concentration increased to approximately 0.2–0.3%. Quality investigation after arrival demonstrated that weight loss was significantly reduced in 37 of the 47 fresh produce items transported in the freshness-preserving boxes, while the remaining 10 items exhibited a weight loss of less than 3%. In addition, the quality of appearance was evaluated by five assessors, and 10 items that were transported in freshness-preserving boxes were rated significantly higher than the controls. No items exhibited a decrease in quality compared to the controls when transported in a freshness-preserving box.
Published Version
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