S23 - Session O4 - Ethylene concentration modelling inside tomato packages with a commercial ethylene scavenger

Authors: Namrata Pathak *, Phil Rosenow, Mareike Bey, Matthias Reinelt, Pramod Mahajan

Packaging is an effective means to maintain quality and prolong shelf-life in fresh produce. However, often ethylene, produced by fruit and vegetables, can accumulate inside packaged fresh produce resulting in detrimental effects, such as, rapid deterioration. Hence, ethylene removing scavenging materials are incorporated inside packages to prevent ethylene accumulation. Ethylene concentration inside such packages is a delicate balance between the ethylene production by the fruit, ethylene removal by the scavenging material and the film permeability as well as film perforations. The ethylene production in itself is a highly complex process, which is dependent on environmental factors, such as, temperature, gaseous concentrations, which, in turn, is affected by the respiration of the produce, as well as produce characteristics. In this study, a numerical model was developed that considers the above-mentioned factors to predict ethylene concentration in packaged tomatoes. The model was validated through storage experiments. This model could further be incorporated for a variety of products and could serve as a useful tool for shelf-life estimation in fresh produce packages and aid in packaging design for equilibrium modified atmospheric packaging (EMAP) optimization and maximizing the impact of ethylene removing materials.