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- Author or Editor: Randolph M. Beaudry x
Blueberry fruit were sealed in 0.00254 cm (1 mil) thick, 200 cm2 low density polyethylene pouches, which, in turn, were sealed in containers continually purged with gas mixtures containing 0, 20, 40 or 60 kPa CO2 and held at 15C. Sampling the gas composition of the enclosed package permitted accurate determination of O2 uptake, CO2 production and the respiratory quotient (RQ) despite the high background CO2 levels. O2 uptake was minimally affected by the CO2 treatments. CO2 production, however, increased at CO2 partial pressures over 20 kPa, resulting in an elevated RQ at 40 and 60 kPa CO2. Raising the CO2 partial pressure caused the fruit to become more sensitive to lowered O2, raising the O2 partial pressure associated with the RQ breakpoint.
The application of low oxygen through modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a technique used successfully to preserve the visual quality of lettuce and some other commodities. The expansion of use of low O2 via MAP to preserve quality of most commodities is limited by technical difficulties achieving target O2 concentrations, adverse physiological responses to low O2, and lack of beneficial responses to low O2. Low O2 often is not used simply because the physiological responses governed by the gas are not limiting quality maintenance. For instance, shelf life may be governed by decay susceptibility, which is largely unaffected by low O2 and may actually be exacerbated by the conditions encountered in hermetically sealed packages. Physiological processes influenced by low O2 and limit storability are discussed. The interdependence of O2 concentration, O2 uptake by the product, and temperature are discussed relative to requirements for packaging films.
A theoretical model was developed that predicts how volatiles synthesized by fruit accumulate in the fruit interior and the fruit cuticle. Model inputs include temperature, rates of volatile synthesis, solubility of the volatile in the cuticular material, and the permeability of the volatile through the cuticle. The model indicated that the accumulation of volatiles was highly temperature-dependent and dependent upon the nature of the interaction between the volatile and the cuticle. For volatiles whose cuticular permeability declined rapidly with temperature, the concentration in the fruit and fruit cuticle tended to increase with decreasing temperature. This accumulation of volatiles in the fruit and fruit cuticle with decreasing temperature was enhanced by a decrease in the heat of solution (i.e., temperature sensitivity of solubility) and diminished by an increase in the Q10 Of the rate of volatile synthesis (i.e., the temperature sensitivity of the rate of synthesis). The model suggests that storage temperature can influence volatile retention and, hence, the volatile profile.
The reasons for knowing the maturity of fruit center around controlling fruit quality after harvest. Farmers are usually concerned with trying to determine harvest date to fit their labor, storage, and marketing needs, whereas research scientists are typically trying to account for the effects of maturity as a variable in experiments. Specific goals for farmer and researcher will, in part, govern what maturity indices are used and what values are acceptable. Restrictions in time and equipment will also affect choice of maturity assessment methods. In some instances, internal or external characteristics might be more important. Because changes in a number of characteristics comprise ripening, there is no single criteria or method that can be termed “best.” However, for each situation, an optimal choice of criteria or method may exist. The logic and information necessary to reach those optimal choices, from the perspective of the researcher and the commercial horticulture operation, is presented and contrasted.
Volatile production is known to change with stages of plant organ development. Research has primarily focused on ripening-related volatiles; however, the potential exists to use volatiles as markers of organ damage and senescence. We have employed gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to establish stages of senescence based on volatile profiles of whole and lightly processed broccoli and carrot. An air-tight chopping apparatus was used as a flow-through chamber system and the exit gas stream analyzed for each commodity with and without tissue disruption. For carrot, isoprenoid pathway volatiles, such as 3-carene, caryophellene, α-caryophellene, and β-pinene, increase with damage and tissue senescence. Similar trends were obtained for broccoli with volatiles characteristic of β-oxidation and shikimic acid pathways. Time and condition-related volatile profile changes will be presented for carrot, broccoli, and strawberry.
Low O2 and high CO2 concentrations can be used effectively to slow respiration and retard decay, but anaerobic and C02-injurious conditions must be avoided. The objective of this research was to: 1) determine the effects of low O2 and very high-C02 on flavor quality and accumulation of fermentation products. Strawberries and blueberries were stored in 2% O2/0% CO2, 20% 02/50% CO2, 2% O2/50% CO2, and 20% 02/0% CO2 for 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days at 20C. A taste panel evaluated the berries at the end of each storage period and again after 2 days under ambient conditions. Ethanol was the primary fermentation product that accumulated in response to low O2 and high CO2 concentrations. However, acetaldehyde was produced preferentially in response to elevated C02 levels. The flavor quality of the strawberries and blueberries was only acceptable for 2 days for treatments containing 50% CO2. The most intense off-flavors were detected in the 2% 02/50% CO2 and 20% O2/50% CO2 samples. 50% CO2 was highly effective in preventing decay, but this concentration was too high for acceptable flavor quality for storage periods greater than 2 days.
O2 and CO2 permeabilities were determined for experimental polyethylene polymers (Dow Plastics, Freeport, Texas) in relation to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films for the packaging of horticultural commodities. A stainless steel flow-through permeability cell was used to determine O2 and CO2 permeabilities at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25C for the polymers. Data were fitted to the Arrhenius' relationship and the Arrhenius' constant and energy of activation were determined. In addition, flow-through containers of sealed cherry tomatoes at room temperature were used to determine ethylene permeability of the polymers. The new polymers were several times more permeable than LDPE to O2, CO2, and ethylene. The results were incorporated into a model for predicting O2 concentrations over a temperature range for sliced apple fruit. The greater permeability of the new polymers will improve control of O2 and CO2 in modified atmosphere packages and enhance flexibility of package design.
Sampling factors that could affect gas chromatograph (GC) response for volatile analysis such as syringe pumping time, injection volume, needle length, temperature, and the type of volatile were investigated. Capillary GC column segments (steel and glass) were installed in gas-tight syringes and used as needles for volatile analysis. Standard stainless-steel needles were also used. Hexylacetate, ethyl-2-methylbutyrate, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, and butanol standard were measured. The number of pumps required to maximize GC response for each needle–volatile combination was determined. Maximal GC response for hexylacetate using standard stainless steel, capillary glass, and capillary steel needles required 10, 20 and 30 pumps, respectively. However, for butanol measurement, the optimal syringe pump number was 5 to 10 for all needle types. The use of a capillary needle resulted in an increase in GC response in the range of 3- to 15-fold relative to a standard stainless steel needle. Injection volume affected GC response in a needle-and volatile-dependent manner. In no case did injection volume vs. GC response extrapolate through origin. The GC response for capillary column needles increased as temperature decreased. Capillary column needles may be useful tools for analysis of volatiles that readily partition into the column coating.
A simple packaging system was developed to simultaneously measure volatile production by plant organs and the permeability of the packaging film to those volatiles. In this system, apple (Malus domestica Borkk cv Golden Delicious) was packaged in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bag and placed into a glass jar with a low air flow. The package and jar head spaces were sampled for aroma volatile analysis by gas chromatograph. Analysis was by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. This system allowed at least 10 volatile compounds and their permeabilities to be measured. This system permits volatile production to be measured for products in the package so the product need not be removed from its storage environment. This may be a useful method for determining the dynamic relationship between flavor volatile synthesis and package atmosphere for packaged produce.
The dynamic physiological processes of CO2 production, O2 uptake and ethylene synthesis for ripening tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) and banana (M usa sp. cv `Valery') fruit were measured using a novel approach. Fruit were sealed in low density polyethylene pouches of known permeability to O2, CO2 and C2H4. The flux of these gases during the climacteric was closely tracked by their respective partial pressure in the headspace of the pouches. Some limitations in application exist due to modification of the atmosphere (primarily O2) within the pouch, however, the system provides some distinct advantages. These include the absence of gas handling equipment, measurement of O2 uptake despite high background levels of O2, measurement of the respiratory quotient, and measurement of low rates of ethylene production. Compared to low-flow, flow-through respirometers, this type of respirometer has the potential to permit the accumulation of several-fold higher levels of some gases due to the property of differential gas permeabilities possessed by polymer films.