The Applications of ‘active packaging and chlorine dioxide’ for extended shelf life of fresh strawberries

Fresh strawberries are highly perishable because of their high respiration rates. Three alternative packaging approaches were investigated to maintain the high quality and to extend the shelf life of strawberries. These were active packaging using chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) and ethylene‐moisture sachets. The quality properties of four groups of samples were measured over 3 weeks at 4°C. The groups were: control, active packaging without ClO₂ treatment, active packaging with low‐dose (5 ppm) ClO₂ treatment and active packaging with high‐dose (10 ppm) ClO₂ treatment. Measured properties were weight loss, gas concentration, pH, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content, texture profile and colour. Active packaging with low‐dose (5 ppm) ClO₂ treatment was found to be the most effective for TA retention and for maintaining (L) brightness values. The control group showed the largest total soluble solids reduction from 7.60 to 6.57. Active packaging without ClO₂ treatment showed the lowest weight loss (0.33%), while the control group showed the highest (1.86%) at the end of the storage. Active packaging with high‐dose ClO₂ treatment showed the highest preference value in global appearance, colour and firmness properties. The low‐ and high‐dose active packaging groups had greater firmness, gumminess and chewiness than that of all other treatments. The results from this study showed that active packaging treatment with ClO₂ and the ethylene‐moisture sachets had a beneficial effect on the quality of strawberries and could be used commercially. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.