Modelling the effect of gas composition on the gas exchange rate in Perforation-Mediated Modified Atmosphere Packaging

An analysis of conventional and modern packaging approaches for cut flowers: a review article

Fresh-cut flowers are considered to be one of the most delicate and challenging commercial crops. It is important to take into consideration how to minimize loss during storage and transportation when preserving cut flowers. Many impinging (bad effect) forces can interact to shorten the flowers' vase life. In the flower industry, effective methods need to be developed to extend freshly cut flowers' life. Fresh-cut flowers' vase life can be shortened by a variety of interlocking causes. The flower industry must develop new techniques to extend the flowers' vase lifespan. This review provides comprehensive, up-to-date information on classical, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and controlled atmosphere packaging (CAP) displays. According to this review, a promising packaging technique for fresh flowers can be achieved through smart packaging. A smart package is one that incorporates new technology to increase its functionality. This combines active packaging, nanotechnology, and intelligence. This technology makes it easier to keep an eye on the environmental variables that exist around the packaged flowers to enhance their quality. This article offers a comprehensive overview of creative flower-saving packaging ideas that reduce flower losses and assist growers in handling more effectively their flower inventory. To guarantee the quality of flowers throughout the marketing chain, innovative packaging techniques and advanced packaging technologies should be adopted to understand various package performances. This will provide the consumer with cut flowers of standard quality. Furthermore, sustainable packaging is achieved with circular packaging. We can significantly reduce packaging waste's environmental impact by designing reused or recyclable packaging.

Development of a Controlled-Ventilation Box for Modified-Atmosphere Storage of Fresh Produce

Adjusting beneficial gas concentrations in real time in response to changing storage conditions is important for fresh produce, especially throughout the supply chain when temperature abuse occurs frequently. In this study, a controlled-ventilated box for bulk transportation of fresh produce was demonstrated and tested under variable temperatures. The presented system comprised a rigid container with a miniature blower installed in the opening of its wall for facilitating the gas exchange and an additional wall opening with a metal tube protruding into the inner container's space. The in-package atmosphere was formed by the balance between the respiratory activity of the produce and the influx of fresh air through the wall openings, regulated by switching the blower ON or OFF. The mass transfer coefficient for metal tubes of different dimensions was measured under modified atmosphere featuring 15% CO₂ and 5% O₂ at 10 °C. The addition of an air blower increased the mass transfer coefficient by at least 100 times. A further storage trial with cherries was successfully performed at 10 °C and 20 °C. The demonstrated trial featured some significant inputs to increase the knowledge about better storage of fresh produce throughout the supply chain and storage.

Modeling of gas transmission properties of polymeric films used for MA packaging of fruits

High value fruits namely, apple (cv. Royal Delicious), guava (cv. Baruipur) and litchi (cv. Shahi) harvested at their commercial maturity were considered for MA packaging to enhance storage life. Polymeric films namely LDPE, BOPP, PVC, PVDC of different thickness were used for MA packaging study and various film characteristics such as gas transmission rates, water vapour transmission rate, clarity, strength and durability were evaluated. Mathematical model was developed based on Arrhenius type equation to predict gas transmission rate (GTR) and the developed model was found to be very good fit with the mean relative deviation modulus value quite less than 10 %. The GTR of the films increased with the increase in storage temperature and the magnitude of the increase varied with the film type and thickness. Regression models have been suitably developed to predict the oxygen transmission rate and carbon dioxide transmission rate of selected polymeric films and combined film laminates as a function of temperatures. Since, none of the individual films could meet the gas transmission requirements of MAP for selected fruits, two different films were tailored to form laminates that sufficed the requirements for prolonged storage with maintaining original quality.