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Pericarp drying is a major postharvest challenge affecting the shelf life of litchi fruit resulting in loss of market value and consumer rejection. Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) is considered an allergen due to its ability to cause irritation in people, particularly those vulnerable to asthma. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of packaging and storage duration without SO 2 on the quality attributes of minimally processed litchi fruit cv. 'Mauritus'. Minimally processed litchi cv. 'Mauritius' were packed inside clamshell trays with different perforation sizes: 0 (P-0), 1.1 mm (P-1), and 5.4 mm (P-2) and stored at 1 C for 15 days, and then held at 12 C for 2 days for shelf life study (mimicking retail practices). The least mass loss % was observed in fruit packaged under P-0 followed by P-1 and P-2 until the end of storage. Fruit packed in P-2 (5.4 mm perforation) had the highest firmness compared to samples from other packages, but, they also had the highest decay incidences at day 9. The TSS ( Brix) was highest in fruit packed under P-0 followed by P-2 than P-1 at the end of storage. The TSS:TA increased significantly with storage duration with highest value obtained on day 9 in P-0 (121.63) in comparison to P-1 (108.44) and P-2 (103.35). Ascorbic acid and radical scavenging activity declined with prolonged storage irrespective of package type. Overall litchi fruit were better maintained in non-perforated and 1.1 mm perforated clamshell trays up to 9 days, without decay incidences.

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Table grapes are commonly packed in multi‐layered packages consisting of cardboard carton, plastic liners and carry bag/pouch to maintain product quality along the cold chain. Each liner is characterized by the number and the size of perforations, which influence the environmental conditions around the produce inside the package. This study investigated the effects of different carton liners on the cooling rate and quality attributes of ‘Regal Seedless’ table grapes. Fruit quality attributes measured include weight loss, stem dehydration and browning, SO2 injury, decay, berry firmness and colour. Non‐perforated liners maintained relative humidity (RH) close to 100% during cold storage and during a 7 day shelf life period, which resulted in delaying the loss of stem quality but significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increasing the incidence of SO2 injury and berry drop during storage, as compared with perforated liners. Perforated liners improved fruit cooling rates but significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced RH. Low RH in perforated liners resulted in significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in stem dehydration and browning as compared with non‐perforated liners. Berry firmness decreased by 78% after 42 days of storage at −0.5°C. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences in berry firmness between the different packages were observed only during the first 7 days of storage. Berry colour changed from greenish‐yellow to yellowish‐green in all types of plastic liner during the storage period. Fruit decay occurred in all packages after a 7 day shelf life, with the highest incidence of decay occurring in liners with less perforation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.