Application of Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Quality of Selected Vegetables: A Review - Application of Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Quality of Selected Vegetables - page 53

1.7.6.3 Fennel

Artes et al. ( 2002 ) in a series of experiments, looked into the treatment of fennel
with ascorbic (1 %) and citric (5 %) acids, packed in PP baskets sealed with PP fi lm
to generate a MA and stored for 14 days at 0 °C followed by 4 days in air at
15 °C. The use of antioxidant solutions did not affect the weight loss with samples
in OPP having a signifi cantly lower weight loss compared to control (0.1 % and 3.5
to 3.9 % respectively) after cold storage. Flavor evaluation at harvest (8.2) revealed
no changes after cold storage, but deteriorated signifi cantly in both control (7.1) and
OPP (7.3) after the 4-day period.
The effects of PMAP [OPP bags (treat. 1) and plastic baskets with OPP fi lm
(treat. 2)] to inhibit browning of the butt end cut zone of fennel bulbs stored over 14
days at 0 °C followed by complementary air storage during 3 days at 15 °C were
studied. The color of bulbs stored in OPP bags was not negatively affected during
complementary shelf life storage remaining in the cold storage levels. An increase
by 3 to 4 % was in all treatments after complementary shelf life hardly revealed any
signifi cant differences between treatments (Escalona et al. 2004 ).
Diced fennel washed in chlorinated water (100 mg/L) was stored under PMAP
[OPP bags (treat. 1) and plastic baskets with OPP fi lm (treat. 2)] at 0 °C for 14 days.
Both treatments limited effectively the TPC growth (5.3 log CFU/g for treat. 1 and
to 5.4 log CFU/g for treat. 2) compared to control samples (6.4 log CFU/g).
A remarkable decrease in L * value was recorded (from 72.8 at harvest to 60.8 for
control and to 55.6 or 62.3 for samples stored in bags and baskets, respectively) for
both treatments compared to initial values (Escalona et al. 2005 ).

1.7.6.4 Asparagus

The changes in lignifying, antioxidant enzyme activities and cell wall compositions
of fresh-cut green asparagus in 1 mg/L aqueous ozone pretreated, and subsequent
MAP (LDPE fi lm) during storage at 3 °C for 25 days were investigated. For samples
treated with O 3 and subsequent MAP storage, PAL activity reached its highest value
on the tenth day (0.33 U/mg) but at the end of storage was lower than the control
(0.22 and 0.38 U/mg, respectively) (An et al. 2007 ).
An et al. ( 2006 ) treated asparagus [dipping in 20 ppm 6-benzylaminopurine
(6-BA) for 10 min] and stored it under active (LDPE 25 ʼ m fi lm with 10 % O 2 /5 %

CO 2 initial atmosphere) and passive MAP (LDPE 15 m fi lm used) at 2 °C for 25

days. The use of 6-BA had a benefi cial effect on chlorophyll content in both MAP
applications (65 and 69

ʼ

g/g for passive and A MAP). The use of AMAP helped
asparagus to retain the greatest lightness ( L *), greenness (a*), hue angle (h o ) and the
least

ʼ

E*.
Simon and Gonzalez-Fantos ( 2011 ) investigated the changes in sensory and
microbiological quality of white asparagus stored under PMAP (2 OPP fi lms, fi lm
A and fi lm B with OTR: 13,200 and 45,000 mL/m 2 day atm. respectively) at 5 and

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