Modified atmosphere packaging extending the storage life of 'douradão' peach

Ligia Regina Radomille De Santana,Claire Isabel Grígoli De Luca Sarantopóulos,Benedito Carlos Benedetti,José Maria Monteiro Sigrist

doi:10.1590/s0100-29452011005000006

Abstract

'Douradão' peach is a perishable product and when cold stored is subject to chilling injury. The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and cold storage on quality and storage life of these peaches. Fruits were packed in polypropylene (PP) trays and placed inside low density polyethylene (LDPE) bags (30, 50, 60, 75 μm thickness) with active modified atmosphere (10 kPa CO2 + 1.5kPa O2, balance N2). The control was made with peaches held in nonwrapped PP trays. Fruits were kept at 1 ± 1 °C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity (RH) for 28 days and CO2 and O2 within packages was monitored every two days. After 14, 21 and 28 days, samples were withdrawn from MAP and kept in air at 25 ± 1 °C and 90 ± 5% RH for ripening. On the day of removal from the cold storage and after 4 days, peaches were evaluated for weight loss, decay incidence, flesh firmness, woolliness incidence, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and juice content. The results showed that MAP had influence on reducing weight loss and prevented postharvest decay. MAP of 1-2 kPa O2 and 3-6 kPa CO2 at 1 °C (from 50 and 60 μm LDPE films) were effective for keeping good quality of 'Douradão' peaches during 28 days of storage, the ripe fruits showed reduced incidence of woolliness, adequate juiciness and flesh firmness. Packages of 30 and 75 μm LDPE films were ineffective for reducing woolliness during cold storage. MAP fruits showed lower SSC and no relevant effect on TA. Control fruits did not present marketable conditions after 14 days of cold storage.

Highlights

Peaches (Prunus persica L) ripen and deteriorate quickly at room temperature cold storage is used to slow down these processes and the decay development
On the same day of harvest (3 trays) and on the 4th day of ripening (3 trays, each tray constituted a replicate), the peaches were evaluated for weight loss, decay incidence, flesh firmness, woolliness incidence, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and juice content
Significant differences in the O2 and CO2 concentrations were detected among the treatments during the cold storage period (Figure 1 and 2)

Summary

Introduction

Peaches (Prunus persica L) ripen and deteriorate quickly at room temperature cold storage is used to slow down these processes and the decay development. Chilling injury limits the storage life of peaches under low temperature for less than two weeks in regular atmosphere. Reports have related that the use of modified atmospheres (MA) with elevated CO2 and reduced O2 concentrations delay or prevent the onset of these chilling symptoms and the storage life of the fruit can be extended (LURIE; CRISOSTO, 2005). There is a large variation among different selections and/or cultivars of peaches as to their susceptibility to chilling injury when stored either at 0 or 5 °C, indicating that the symptoms have a significant genetic component (CRISOSTO et al, 1999b)

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Conclusion