ABSTRACT
Temperature control and modication of atmosphere are two important factors in extending the shelf life of perishable food. Modied Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) of fresh produce relies on modication of the gas composition inside the package, based on the interactions between two processes, the respiration of product and the transfer of gases through the packaging, thereby resulting in gas composition richer in CO2 and poorer in O2 (Fonseca et al., 2000). In contrast to controlled atmosphere (CA) systems, modied atmosphere (MA) technology has higher ›exibility in prolonging the CA benets for improving shelf life of a larger number of fresh produce during distribution and storage. MA conditions can be effected via packaging a passive system, by balancing produce respiration and gas exchange through package materials. Such systems, called MAP, can be visualized as bulk packaging containers, as unit retail packages, and as individual produce coatings (Lee et al., 1996). Bulk packaging systems are pallet bags and paperboard containers employed for several processes such as transportation, handling, and storage. They have the advantage of being able to handle mixed loads in the same storage place. The prepackaging system is based on a plastic lm, such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polypropylene (PP). The use of these materials is advantageous because of their transparency, their action as barriers to water vapor transmission, and their selectivity in gas permeability (Lee et al., 1996).
