Effect of package film on the quality of fresh-cut salad savoy

• Published in: Postharvest biology and technology Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 99 - 107
• Main Authors: Kim, Ji Gang, Luo, Yaguang, Gross, Kenneth C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier B.V 01.04.2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brassica oleracea; carbon dioxide; cell respiration; cold storage; color; colored varieties; discoloration; enzymatic browning; Food industries; food packaging; food processing quality; food spoilage; food storage; fresh-cut foods; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas composition; General aspects; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; Minimally processed; modified atmosphere packaging; Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP); off odors; oxygen; Oxygen transmission rate; packaging materials; permeability; polyethylene; postharvest physiology; Postharvest technology; postharvest treatment; Salad savoy; salads; Shelf-life; storage time; Gas composition; Shelf-life; Oxygen transmission rate; Salad savoy; Postharvest technology; Minimally processed; Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP); Oxygen; Vegetables; Film; Brassica oleracea; Vegetable crop; Cruciferae; Dicotyledones; Quality; Angiospermae; Food preservation; Packaging; Spermatophyta; Conditioning; Modified atmosphere; Cabbage
• ISSN: 0925-5214; 1873-2356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2003.10.006

Salad savoy ( Brassica oleracea L.) is a vegetable crop that is becoming a valued addition to fresh-cut salad mixes. This study was conducted to develop a modified atmosphere packaging system for fresh-cut salad savoy and to evaluate the effect of film oxygen transmission rate (OTR) on package atmospheres, and consequently product quality changes during storage. Two varieties of salad savoy (white and violet) were cut into approximately 5 cm×5 cm slices and sanitized in 100 μl l −1 chlorine solution. The products (85 g each) were packaged in sealed 19 cm×22 cm polyethylene bags prepared with films of selected OTRs at 8.0, 16.6, 21.4, and 29.5 pmol s −1 m −2 Pa −1 and stored at 5°C for 25 days. Evaluation parameters included package atmospheres, product respiration rate, color, cut-end discoloration (browning), off-odor, decay, and overall quality. Results indicated that the OTR of the package film significantly ( P<0.05) affected package atmospheres, product quality, and shelf-life, under the tested package configuration and storage condition. Packages with 16.6 and 21.4 OTR films attained the desired O 2 (1.4–3.8 kPa) and CO 2 levels (3.6–6.3 kPa) on day 10 and throughout the storage period; products stored in these packages maintained freshness with high overall quality scores. Packages with 8.0 OTR film exhibited a rapid depletion of O 2 (to ∼0 kPa) and accumulation of CO 2 (11.0–12.6 kPa), resulting in off-odor, decay and unacceptable quality of the products at the end of storage. Samples from packages prepared with 29.5 OTR film developed discoloration on the cut-ends due to high O 2 (6.0–7.9 kPa) in the packages. White salad savoy had higher respiration rates and lower quality scores than violet salad savoy. Overall, both white and violet salad savoy maintained good quality and shelf-life throughout the 25-days storage period under the most favorable atmosphere condition.