Application of Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Quality of Selected Vegetables: A Review - Application of Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Quality of Selected Vegetables - page 42

The effect of passive MAP (LDPE fi lm used), CA (5 % CO 2 ) and gaseous ozone
treatment in regard with the survival of inoculated (low and high inoculum levels)
S. enteritidis on cherry tomatoes was investigated by Das et al. ( 2006 ). The S. enter-
itidis had a higher death rate on the tomato surfaces stored in MAP than on tomatoes
stored in air and in CA. In an initial population of 3.0 log 10 CFU/tomato, cells died
completely on day 4 during MAP storage and on day 6 during both CA and air stor-
age. Moreover, gaseous ozone treatment was shown to have a strong bactericidal
effect on S. enteritidis .
Fresh cut tomato slices at 0 and 5 °C under active (12-14 kPa O 2 + 0 kPa CO 2 )
MAP [Composite (Vascolan) or BOPP fi lm] with or without an ethylene absorber
(EAP) were packaged by Gil et al. ( 2002 ). Decrease of titratable acidity was
recorded over storage at both temperatures, except for tomato slices kept in compos-
ite packages with EAP (0.34 and 0.32 for 0 and 5 °C, respectively) and for control
samples packed in composite fi lm at 5 °C (0.33).
Cold storage (5-10 °C) was used to assess the quality of fresh-cut tomato slices
under various MAP conditions (4 % CO 2 + 1 or 20 % O 2 , 8 % CO 2 + 1 or 20 % O 2 ,
or 12 % CO 2 + 1 or 20 % O 2 ) and various packaging fi lms [fi lm A and Film B (87.4
and 60 mL/h m 2 atm., respectively)]. Ethylene concentration in containers with four
slices held at 5 °C was higher with fi lm B than for fi lm A. The slices in containers
of 12 % CO 2 + 1 % O 2 gave the highest fi rmness values (3.7 N). Application of MAP
resulted in good quality tomato slices with a shelf life of 2 weeks or more at 5 °C
(Hong and Gross 2001 ).
Six different tomato cultivars were stored under MAP (5 % O 2 + 5 % CO 2 ) and
refrigeration (4 °C) in a study by Odriozola-Serrano et al. ( 2008 ). A signifi cant
increase in phenolic compounds was recorded beyond the 14th day of storage [max-
imum values of 347.5 mg gallic acid/kg (FW) for fresh-cut Durinta tomatoes].
Overall, the main antioxidant compounds (lycopene, vitamin C and phenolic com-
pounds) and color parameters were preserved in fresh-cut tomatoes for 21 days.
The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) (1,000 nL/L dosage) in combina-
tion with PMAP (a fi lm with CO 2 TR, 2,023 cm 3 /m 2 day) on quality of pink or light
red tomatoes stored at 12 °C for 21 days was studied by Sabir and Agar ( 2011 ).
Weight was better preserved with MAP and 1-MCP combination (1.43 % weight
loss at the end of the storage period). Lycopene accumulation was preserved under
MAP and 1-MCP treatment (7.48, 15.61 and 16.1 mg/kg for treated, MAP and con-
trol samples, respectively). Storage life of tomatoes was extended up to 21 days
with MAP and 1-MCP application (Table 1.3 ).
Mature green cherry tomato was dipped in hot water (at 39 °C for 90 min) and
subsequently stored in plastic fi lms with various O 2 but similar CO 2 permeabilities
at 15 °C. The fruit subjected to HWT with the low O 2 permeability fi lm demon-
strated the lowest color development (33.04, 41.46 and 1.13 C*, h o and a*/b* val-
ues, respectively). Thus, the heat treatment in conjunction with fi lm packaging
suppressed the color development of cherry tomato more than that of individual heat
treatment or packaging (Sayed Ali et al. 2004 ).
Tomatoes were immersed in hot water (42.5 °C) for 30 min and stored under