Evaluation of the Effects of Different Packaging Materials on the Quality Attributes of the Tomato Fruit

Abstract

Post-harvest loss continues to be a significant problem in the food industry. Different packaging materials, designed to reduce fruit damage, are anticipated for various applications in the supply chain. Recently, stamped paper (SP) and expandable polystyrene (EPS) trays have been introduced as tomato retail packaging. Although the combination of paper trays and clear plastic are still not 100% biodegradable packaging, they are promising alternatives to the heavy utilisation of petrochemical-based polymers. This study investigated the effects of different packaging materials and storage conditions on the ‘Nema-Netta’ tomatoes’ quality attributes. The treatments consisted of a stamped paper (SP) + polyvinyl chloride (PVC), expandable polystyrene (EPS) + polyvinyl chloride (PVC), stamped paper (SP)+ flow wrap, expandable polystyrene (EPS) + flow wrap, polypropylene (PP), and unpackaged tomatoes stored at cold and ambient conditions. Firmness, physiological weight loss (PWL), pH value, titratable acidity (TA) and total sugars were evaluated at seven-day intervals, over 28 days. Temperature and relative humidity at cold storage ranged between 8–12 °C, 78–80% RH and 22–26 °C, 68–72% RH at ambient storage conditions. The packaging and storage conditions significantly affected the PWL, firmness, pH, TA and total sugars. Samples in the EPS Tray combined with the PVC wrap at cold storage maintained the quality of the tomatoes better than the other packaging. The combination of packaging and cold storage created an ideal environment for maintaining the quality of tomatoes. The relative differences between EPS Tray + PVC (non-biodegradable) and SP Tray + PVC (biodegradable) were less than 5% in multiple tests.

Effects of Storage Containers on Postharvest Properties of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

“…The increase in pH values recorded from the three storage containers was in agreement with the findings of Adhikari et al (2020) who revealed that the pH value of tomatoes increases with the storage time due to ripening and respiration. Dladla and Workneh (2023) revealed that unpackaged (control) tomatoes had the highest increase in pH value from 4.20 to 4.60 under ambient storage conditions. Islam et al (2013) also reported an increase in pH of tomato fruits with maturity and mango fruits during storage, respectively.…”

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Seeds of Bred Lines of Common Bean Developed from Interspecific Crosses

“…P acutifolius genotypes tested in our study presented higher values of total glucose. Glucose represents a significant source of metabolic energy for seedling development, in the formation of nutrients and bioactive compounds contained in the seed [72,73], and these compounds are also mainly bound to sugar molecules (glycosylated residues) and proteins [74].…”

Effect of Packaging Formats on the Quality of the Seasoned Fried Sajor-caju Mushroom Product during Storage

“…Many film types are used for food packaging depending on their characteristics. Nylon exhibits good properties as an oxygen, odor and flavor barrier with mechanical strength and high-temperature performance but has a very poor water vapor barrier [5]. Polypropylene (PP) is a non-biodegradable addition to the propylene polymer, and the resins used are mainly isotactic.…”

“…Figure5 Sensory quality in seasoned fried mushroom products in 3 packaging formats stored at room temperature for 90 days.…”