Modified atmosphere packaging of minimally processed fruits and vegetables

Abstract

The change in food consumption patterns from ensuri ng an adequate supply of calories and nutrients to an increased em phasis on quality and convenience and the demand of consumers on convenie nce as well as fresh texture, flavour and appearance have led to a relat ively new area of food preservation - minimally processed or lightly proce ssed foods. Mechanical damage to the cells during processing, however, is a major limitation to shelf life of minimally processed fruits and vegeta bles. The damages enhance the process of deterioration by increased m icrobial activity, respiration and senescence. Hence, in addition to s torage and transportation under a low temperature environment, an additional barrier in the form of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been tried extensively for increasing the shelf life of these products. Studie s indicate that MAP can be adopted for different types of minimally processed fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, lettuce, melon, apple, c ucumber, carrot and some others; either individually or in combination to in crease the shelf life and maintain freshness for a relatively longer period. The cultivars of a specific produce, however, differ in their characteristics. Their respiration rate is also dependent on temperature, composition of stora ge atmosphere, degree of processing and storage life among other factors. Therefore, maintenance of proper concentration of oxygen and carbon-dioxid e in the packages needs a thorough research about the produce and pac kage characteristics.