Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Effects of modified atmosphere packing and chitosan treatment on quality of minimally processed table grapes during cold storage

4^th International Conference and Exhibition on Food Processing & Technology

August 10-12, 2015 London, UK

Said Ennahli1, Hafida Hanine2 and David Scurlock3

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

This study aims to investigate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and chitosan treatments on quality attributes of
berries ‘Thompson Seedless’. A 200 g of berries per each replicate were stored in polypropylene containers at 0.5o C for 45 days (6
replicates per each treatment). Treatments were as follows: 1. Control: Polypropylene containers sealed hermitically with a film (35.4
pmol/s/m2/Pa oxygen transmission rates), 2. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), 3. Berries immersed in 0.5% chitosan and 4.
Coated berries subjected to MAP. Samples to assess the quality were taken on a weekly basis. No differences were observed in pH,
titrate able acidity, sugar content, firmness, color, after the first 7 days. Significance differences (p<0.03) were observed after 3 weeks.
MAP with chitosan-coated berries exhibited the highest quality (color, firmness, sugar content, titrate able acidity) as compared to
other treatments with control recorded the lowest values among all treatments. Berries from control treatment showed a significant
increase in soluble sugar content as compared to other treatments. Titrate able acidity decreased in all treatments by the last week.
The MAP-chitosan treatment exhibited no decay, no change in color or in firmness as compared to MAP and control treatments at 45
days. We concluded that the MAP-chitosan treatment is a promising treatment to reduce decay, extend shelf life while maintaining
optimum quality of minimally processed grapes in cold storage.