Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKING ON SHELF LIFE OF BANANA CV. GRAND NAINE AT AMBIENT CONDITION

V. Hari Kumar, J. Dilip Babu, K. Uma Jyothi and A. Kiran Kumar

Abstract

Investigations were carried out to understand the effect of various post harvest packaging treatments like modified atmosphere packing on shelf life of banana Cv. Grand Naine by pack the fruits with different levels of perforations (0.5 mm) at ambient temperature condition. In the experiment, the fruits were packed in poly propylene bags with 5 Pores, 10 Pores, 15 Pores, 20 Pores, 25 Pores, 30 Pores, without Pores and unwrapped control kept under ambient storage condition and the packs were sealed with the help of electrical sealer. Among these treatments 5 Pores recorded lower physiological loss in weight, colour index, spoilage and higher firmness, total soluble solids and thereby recorded more shelf life (11 days) over control (8 days). It was observed that the physiological loss in weight, colour index, spoilage rates increased and fruit firmness decreased in all the experiments irrespective of the treatments with the advancement of duration. Total soluble solids, sugars increased initially and then decreased towards the end of the storage period.