Putkrong Punumong, Jurmkwan Sangsuwan, and Nithiya Rattanapanone

DOI: 10.14456/sjst-psu.2017.87

pp. 715 - 722

Abstract

This study aimed to select the optimum oxygen (O₂
) and carbon dioxide (CO₂
) concentrations for storage of minimallyprocessed litchi fruit cv. ‘Jugkapat’ packed in a nylon laminated with linear low density polyethylene bag (Nylon/LLDPE).
Litchi fruits (fully-red stage) and their arils were sanitized with peroxyacetic acid solutions 100 mg L^-1, 3 min and 50 mg L^-1 for
1 min, respectively. Litchi arils were stored under nine combinations of O₂
 (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5%) and CO₂
 (5.0, 7.5 and 10.0%) with
atmospheric nitrogen balance for 18 days at 2±1°C. The optimum concentration of O₂
 and CO₂
 for storage of minimallyprocessed litchi fruit was 5.0% and 5.0% due to the lowest levels of juice leakage, ethanol content, microbial growth and
maintained firmness the best. The atmosphere of 5.0% O₂
 and 5.0% CO₂
 maintained the respiratory quotient value closely to
1.0 during storage. The microbial counts are in the microbiological limits for food safety.