Modelling the respiration rate of fresh-cut Annurca apples to develop modified atmosphere packaging

In this work, the effect of temperature, oxygen, red coloration process and post-harvest storage time on the respiration rate of fresh-cut Annurca apples was studied to properly develop modified atmosphere packaging. Our results showed that the red coloration process and the post-harvest storage time did not affect the respiration rate or the respiratory quotient of fresh-cut Annurca apples in the range of temperature studied (5–20 °C). A Michaelis–Menten-type equation, with the model constants described by means of an Arrhenius-type relationship, was used for predicting respiration rate on varying the temperature and O₂ concentration in the head space. The maximal respiration rate (mL kg h^?1) (RR_max) and the O₂% corresponding to     values estimated at the reference temperature (12.5 °C), i.e. the average of the experimental temperature ranges, were, respectively, 6.77 ± 0.1 mL kg^?1 h^?1 and 0.68 ± 0.07% v/v, and the activation energy of the aerobic respiration rate of fresh-cut Annurca apples was estimated at 51 ± 1 kJ mol^?1. The model works well to develop a modified atmosphere for fresh-cut Annurca apples.