Modified atmosphere packaging of sapota (Achras zapota L.) fruits for extension of storage-life and quality maintenance

Abstract

Sapota on account of its taste and low cost of production is very popular in India. It is highly perishable which is a major problem in extending its shelf-life. Modified atmosphere packaging is recently getting popular by virtue of its role in extending shelflife of the produce. The packaging is intended to create an appropriate gaseous atmosphere around a commodity to enhance shelf-life and to conserve the quality of produce. An attempt was made to increase the storage-life of sapota using different packaging films coupled with low temperature storage. Mature sapota fruits (cv. Cricket Ball) were packed in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and cryovac PD-961 films with different permeabilities to gases and stored at 10 oC, 15 oC and room temperature. The results showed that the storage life of sapota fruits could be extended up to 3 weeks at 10 oC and 1 week at 15 oC when the fruits were packed in non-perforated LDPE and PD-961 films. These fruits ripened normally with maintenance of good quality in terms of firmness, total sugars, total soluble solids, acidity, reduced physiological loss in weight compared to non-packed when they were shifted to room temperature after unpacking. Today, estimation of antioxidant activity has become an important parameter to evaluate the nutritional quality of food. In our investigation, it was found that higher amount of ascorbic acid content, total phenols, total flavonoids, total antioxidants were also maintained in MA packed fruits during storage period. The MA packaging was not helpful in extending of storage-life at room temperature though packed fruits had uniform ripening with least weight loss compared to non-packed fruits.