Equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging of wild strawberries

Wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca L.) are high‐added‐value fruits but their marketing is complex owing to their short postharvest life. In this work, equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging (EMAP) technology was used to maintain their quality and consequently to extend their life. Fresh strawberries were packaged with two continuous and three microperforated films (with different gas permeabilities) with the purpose of obtaining equilibrium atmospheres of diverse compositions. Weight loss, pH and acidity, solid content, colour, firmness, fungal decay and development of off‐flavours were selected to monitor fruit quality during 6 days at 10 °C. Among the five packages tested, microperforated films with one and three perforations provided adequate CO₂ and O₂ equilibrium concentrations in view of the evolution of chemical and physical quality parameters. These results were confirmed by sensory analysis. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry