Postharvest Technology Research Laboratory, South African Research Chair in Postharvest Technology, Faculty of AgricSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa; Department of Food Science, Faculty of AgricSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa; UMR 1208 Ingénierie des Agropolymères et Technologies Emergentes, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, CIRAD, Université Montpellier 2, UMR IATE - Bat 35, 2, pl Viala, Montpellier, F-34000, France
Caleb, O.J., Postharvest Technology Research Laboratory, South African Research Chair in Postharvest Technology, Faculty of AgricSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa, Department of Food Science, Faculty of AgricSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa; Mahajan, P.V., UMR 1208 Ingénierie des Agropolymères et Technologies Emergentes, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, CIRAD, Université Montpellier 2, UMR IATE - Bat 35, 2, pl Viala, Montpellier, F-34000, France; Manley, M., Department of Food Science, Faculty of AgricSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa; Opara, U.L., Postharvest Technology Research Laboratory, South African Research Chair in Postharvest Technology, Faculty of AgricSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa, Department of Food Science, Faculty of AgricSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
This study evaluated the effects of passive modified atmosphere packaging design parameters as a function of the amount of product (g), temperature (°C) and time (days) on two pomegranate cultivars. Arils (75, 100 and 125 g) were packed in trays, heat sealed with polylid film and stored at 5, 10 and 15 °C for 14 days, and analysed for physicochemical parameters viz headspace gas composition, weight loss, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, anthocyanin, aerobic-mesophilic bacterial and fungal load (log CFU g-1). At the highest temperature and weight, O2 concentration continuously decreased below the critical limit (2%) after 4 days, while at 5 °C, this lower limit was not reached. Shelf life of arils was limited to 10, 7 and 3 days by fungal growth ≥2 log CFU g-1 at 5, 10 and 15 °C, respectively. Using unsteady-state equation, a good agreement was found between simulated and experimental gas composition data. © 2013 Institute of Food Science and Technology.
