Modified-atmosphere Packaging of Blueberry Fruit: Modeling Respiration and Package Oxygen Partial Pressures as a Function of Temperature

Abstract

<jats:p>A mathematical model was developed to characterize the interaction of fruit O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> uptake, steady-state O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> partial pressures in modified-atmosphere (MA) packages ([O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>]<jats:sub>pkg</jats:sub>), and film permeability to O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> (P<jats:sc>o</jats:sc><jats:sub>2</jats:sub>) from previously published data for highbush blueberry <jats:italic>(Vaccinium corymbosum</jats:italic> L. `Bluecrop') fruit held between 0 and 25C. O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> uptake in nonlimiting O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> (R<jats:sc>o</jats:sc><jats:sub>2</jats:sub><jats:sup>max,T</jats:sup>) and the [O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>]<jats:sub>pkg</jats:sub> at which O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> uptake was half-maximal (K<jats:sub>½</jats:sub><jats:sup>T</jats:sup>) were both exponentially related to temperature. The activation energy of 0<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> uptake was less at lower [O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>]<jats:sub>pkg</jats:sub> and temperature. The predicted activation energy for permeation of O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> through the film (<jats:inline-formula><jats:tex-math>\batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{E}_{\mathrm{a}}^{\mathrm{P_{\mathrm{o}_{2}}}}\) \end{document}</jats:tex-math></jats:inline-formula> kJ·mol<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup>) required to maintain close-to-optimum [O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>]<jats:sub>pkg</jats:sub> across the range of temperatures between 0 and 25C was ≈ 60 kJ·mol<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup>. Packages in which diffusion was mediated through polypropylene or polyethylene would have values <jats:inline-formula><jats:tex-math>\batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{E}_{\mathrm{a}}^{\mathrm{P_{\mathrm{o}_{2}}}}\) \end{document}</jats:tex-math></jats:inline-formula> of ≈ 50 and 40 kJ·mol<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup>, respectively, and would have correspondingly greater tendencies for [O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>]<jats:sub>pkg</jats:sub> to decrease to excessively low levels with an increase in temperature. Packages that depend on pores for permeation would have an <jats:inline-formula><jats:tex-math>\batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{E}_{\mathrm{a}}^{\mathrm{P_{\mathrm{o}_{2}}}}\) \end{document}</jats:tex-math></jats:inline-formula> of &lt;5 kJ·mol<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup>. Our procedure predicted that, if allowed to attain steady-state conditions, packages with pores and optimized to 2 kPa O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> at 0C would become anaerobic with as little as a 5C increase in temperature. The results are discussed in relation to the risk of temperature abuse during handling and marketing of MA packaged fruit and strategies to avoid induction of anaerobiosis.</jats:p>

Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Pomegranate Fruit and Arils: A Review

“…A reduction in oxygen concentration below 8% and/or increase in carbondioxide concentration slow down fruit ripening (Sandhya 2010). The degree to which modification of the atmosphere takes place in packages is dependent on other variables such as film permeability to O 2 and CO 2 and product respiration rate (Beaudry 1999;Cameron et al 1994).…”

“…A common respiratory model which takes into consideration the steady-state concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide and describes their influence on respiration is known as the Michaëlis-Menten type respiratory model. This respiratory model has been used successfully for Tomatoes (Charles et al 2003), sliced apple product (Lakakul et al 1999), strawberries (Joles 1993), blueberries (Cameron et al 1994), and for the comparison of ten freshcut ready-to-eat vegetables with two commercially available vegetables mixture (Jacxsens et al 2000). Gas flux through the package film or film permeability can be mathematically predicted, by the permeability equation based on the Fick's diffusion laws for thin and infinite films (Crank 1968).…”

“…For instance, respiratory model are coupled with an equation such as Arrhenius equation, which describes the temperature sensitivity of film permeability to gases. In order to predict the package oxygen partial pressure as a function of product mass, film surface area and thickness, and temperature (Cameron et al 1994;Lakakul et al 1999).…”

Applications of Plastic Films for Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Fruits and Vegetables: A Review

“…Alternative approaches to providing high OTRs, especially in applications where there is limited package surface area for gas exchange, have included films with holes or pores. P-Plus microperforated technology owned by Print Pak and proprietary microperforation technologies owned by Respire Films in America and Sidlaw in England are finding applications in the rapidly emerging fresh, lightly processed and cut fruit market (Cameron et al [30]. The P-Plus film is manufactured by perforating a polyolefin film with very tiny orifices using laser beams.…”

The influence of different controlled atmosphere storage conditions on the storability and quality of blueberries cv. ‘Bluecrop’

“…Cameron et al (1994) berichten, dass HighbushHeidelbeeren unter 1,5-2,5 kPa O 2 und 5-12 kPa CO 2 bei 0°C erfolgreich gelagert wurden. Bei unserem Lagerversuch mit Heidelbeeren hatte die Erhöhung der CO 2 -Konzentration eine erwünschte und eine nicht erwün-schte Wirkung auf die Haltbarkeit der Früchte.…”