Effects of Compostable Packaging and Perforation Rates on Cucumber Quality during Extended Shelf Life and Simulated Farm-to-Fork Supply-Chain Conditions

Abstract

Cucumbers are highly perishable and suffer from moisture loss, shriveling, yellowing, peel damage, and decay. Plastic packaging helps to preserve cucumber quality, but harms the environment. We examined the use of compostable modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with different perforation rates as a possible replacement for conventional plastic packaging materials. The results indicate that all of the tested types of packaging reduced cucumber weight loss and shriveling. However, compostable MAP with micro-perforations that created a modified atmosphere of between 16–18% O2 and 3–5% CO2 most effectively preserved cucumber quality, as demonstrated by reduced peel pitting, the reduced appearance of warts and the inhibition of yellowing and decay development. Overall, micro-perforated compostable packaging extended the storage life of cucumbers under both extended shelf conditions and simulated farm-to-fork supply-chain conditions and thus may serve as a replacement for the plastic packaging currently used to preserve the postharvest quality of cucumbers.

Retaining red bell pepper quality by perforated compostable packaging

“…It is worth notice that the tested compostable packages have a lower OTR value as compared with PP films, and therefore the application of perforations is especially crucial in order to prevent the creation of unfavorable hypoxic conditions. Similar harmful effects of NP compostable packages on fruit quality were reported also for cucumbers (Owoyemi et al, 2021).…”

“…The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of compostable packages with different perforation rates on retaining postharvest quality of red bell peppers during continuous shelf life and simulated marketing conditions. The use of compostable materials may provide an environmentally friendly alternative that may replace the current use of petroleum‐based plastic packages, depending that the compostable packages will indeed be as effective as conventional plastic packages in retaining produce freshness and quality (Khalil et al., 2018; Owoyemi et al., 2021; Wróblewska‐Krepsztul et al., 2018). Furthermore, unlike previous studies that mainly evaluated the effects of modified atmosphere packages under optimal storage temperatures of 7–8°C, we hereby examined their effects under simulated real‐life conditions including extended shelf life, and simulated supply chain conditions.…”

To Wrap Or to Not Wrap Cucumbers?

“…The current scenario is indicated by the dotted blue line, where plastic packaging of imported cucumbers lowers food waste at retail by an estimated 4.8%, with a net lower environmental impact of 125 kg CO 2 -eq per tonne of cucumber sold at retail. blends or polylactic acid to preserve the quality of cucumbers (Li et al, 2021;Owoyemi et al, 2021). However, the environmental impact of these solutions must be evaluated for the respective use case before labeling these as "eco-friendly".…”

Barriers to the Development of Compostable Packaging in the Food Sector Against the Background of the Circular Economy: The Case of Poland

“…The Google Scholar database, as the most common, indicates about 13,000 results over the last 10 years. At the same time, the most publications concern the scope of agriculture, such as the shelf life of products in compostable packaging (Owoyemi et al, 2021) or issues related to the biological characteristics of the raw material (microbiological activity) (Zhang et al, 2017) and the technological possibilities of its use (Barletta and Gisario, 2021).…”