ABSTRACT
Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of fruits and vegetables is a technique that relies on the interplay between the respiratory metabolism of the product and the gas exchange kinetics through the package to achieve an optimum gas composition. 334This can help extend shelf life and reduce product loss. The challenge would be to find the most appropriate packaging material (or the number of perforations required) to match the respiration rate for each specific fresh product. MAP as a technology has been studied for many years, but only recently efforts were made to integrate respiratory and film permeability data into predictive models for package gas compositions over time, as well as the effects of temperature. Integrative mathematical modeling for MAP has not only been used to determine the package gas composition but can also be used to determine the fresh produce packaging permeability needs for gases and water vapor. Integrative mathematical modeling of packaging system, which considers the quality by design (QbD) approach, was used to estimate the tailored oxygen transmission rate (OTR), carbon dioxide transmission rate (CTR), and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) for the selected products that would result in the ideal packaging solution. These tailored barrier properties of packaging films were designed to match the optimal-modified atmosphere for the two selected products at the specified temperature. Both mushrooms and strawberries require packaging materials with high gas and water vapor permeability with the target range of OTR 47,501-71,251 (32,779-49,169) mL m-2 day-1 atm-1, CTR 73,872-110,808 (22,275-33,413) mL m-2 day-1 atm-1, and WVTR 425-638 (93-140) g m-2 day-1 atm-1 for packaging mushrooms (strawberries) at 5°C and 90% relative humidity. Engineering MAP design considering QbD approach can be not only used to define an effective MAP but also to determine material packaging permeability needs for fresh fruits and vegetables, and therefore maintain quality and safety and minimize product losses.
