ABSTRACT
260Life processes of fresh fruits and vegetables continue after harvest due to on-going metabolic activities, including respiration and ripening which continue in cells or plant parts until senescence and death. Additionally, rapid quality deterioration and reduced shelf-life may also result from physiological disorders and presence of mechanical injuries, which represent major quality challenges for the marketing of fresh minimally processed produce. Overall, inadequate management of these quality challenges may result in reductions in availability, edibility, and freshness, which increases postharvest food losses and direct financial losses for the role players in the fresh produce industry. Micro-perforation is a useful technique to achieve safe modification of internal atmosphere of package for safe storage and quality retention of horticultural produce in comparison with conventional non-perforated MAP system.
