Current and Innovative Packaging Technologies for Tropical and Subtropical Fruits - Tropical and Subtropical Fruits: Postharvest Physiology, Processing and Packaging - page 116

30 ◦ C) and thawed at high tem-
perature. Plasticizers are generally added to increase the
flexibility of polymeric films used for frozen products. As
temperature is one of the critical factors affecting the qual-
ity and safety of frozen fruits, technologies for track-
ing packaged products throughout the supply chain are
of importance. Intelligent packaging such as RFID is in-
creasingly being used for tracking frozen products in a
supply chain.

10 ◦ to temperature ( − − materials studied include commercial films of PE, PP, ori-

ented PP (OPP), and macro- and micro-perforated PP. For
trays, PET, and oriented polystyrene (OPS) are common
materials of choice. In the past decade, oriented polylac-
tide (OPLA) film and trays have gained increasing interest
in research and development because of the global envi-
ronmental concerns of nonbiodegradable packaging and
the more competitive price of PLA. How the atmospheric
conditions in a package of fresh fruits will be modified
depends upon several parameters: film permeability to O 2 ,
CO 2 ,ethylene(C 2 H 4 ), and water vapor; fruit respiration;
and temperature, including its effects on film characteristics
and respiration rate (Beaudry et al., 1992; Cameron et al.,
1994; Beaudry, 1999).
Earlier studies advocated the benefits of MAP for some
fresh-cut tropical/subtropical fruits, including mangoes
(Martinez-Ferrer et al., 2002; Beaulieu and Lea, 2003;
Chonhenchob et al., 2007), pineapples (Martinez-Ferrer
et al., 2002; Marrero and Kader, 2006; Chonhenchob et al.,
2007), kiwifruit slices (Agar et al., 1999), and cantaloupe
cubes (Bai et al., 2001; Chonhenchob et al., 2007). In the
past ten years, several studies have focused on the effect of
an integrated approach of MAP and postharvest treatment
on quality retention and shelf life extension of fresh fruits.
For instance, a combined treatment on Embul bananas, us-
ing cinnamon oil and MAP, extended the storage life of
bananas up to 21 days in a cold room and up to 14 days
at 28 ◦ ± 2 ◦ C, without affecting organoleptic and physico-
chemical properties (Ranasinghe et al., 2005). Control of
postharvest decay with a combined use of MAP was also
evaluated for litchis (Sivakumar and Korsten, 2006) and
papayas (Gonzalez-Aguilar et al., 2003).

CURRENT AND INNOVATIVE
PACKAGING TECHNOLOGIES

Packaging technologies for fresh tropical and
subtropical fruits
It has been well documented that freshness, quality, and
shelf life of perishable fruits are limited in the presence of
normal air, mainly due to biochemical reactions (such as
respiration, water loss, and ripening) that can cause undesir-
able physiological changes in sensory and nutrition quality.
Refrigerated or chilled storage can slow down these pro-
cesses in fresh produce but may not help extend the shelf life
to meet retail distribution and display requirements (Parry,
1993). Modification of the atmosphere within a package
(reduced oxygen and elevated carbon dioxide) can extend
the shelf life of fruits and vegetables at optimum chilled
temperatures. To date, MAP is still considered key tech-
nology. The benefits of MAP in prolonging the shelf life of
many fruits and vegetables have been extensively studied
(Kader et al., 1989). Apart from the commonly used MAP
technology, innovative packaging methods with enhanced
functions are also being developed in response to consumer
demands, especially for minimally processed foods with
fewer preservatives (Pocas et al., 2008).
Recent developments have focused on integrating the
MAP approach with postharvest treatment to retain quality
and extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and fresh-cut prod-
ucts. Since the principles of both MAP and active packag-
ing have been well described (Rooney, 1995a; Blakistone,
1998), the following sections will discuss these two tech-
nologies with regard to the specific technical aspects and
applications that are particularly relevant to fresh tropical
and subtropical fruits.

Active packaging for fresh tropical and subtropical fruits
Packaging may be termed “active” when it performs some
desired role other than offering ordinary function as a bar-
rier (Rooney, 1995a). Over years of development, most
technologies relating to active packaging have tended to
provide desired functions via a passive route rather than of-
fering a truly smart response. Most active packaging tech-
nologies are based on the use of sachets containing ac-
tive additives (e.g., gas/volatile scavengers, releasers, and
controllers). However, there appears to be a drive to in-
corporate such additives directly into polymeric films or
packages (Rooney, 1995b; Crompton, 2007). An important
question that remains to be answered is the efficiency of
the impregnated additives in the plastic media.
One polymer packaging development, BreatheWay
membrane (Landec Corporation, USA), has been recog-
nized as active or smart packaging because of its capability

Modified atmosphere packaging
The MAP technology is largely applied for fresh and mini-
mally processed fruits. Extensive studies on MAP of fresh
and fresh-cut fruits have been carried out. Package forms
used in many studies involve plastic bags, pouches, cups,
and trays with lidding films or overwrapped films. Common