1&2Division of Agnl Engineering, IARI, New Delhi
3Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, IARI, New Delhi
The silicone membrane technology is used as a possible alternate for the controlled atmosphere storage, which usually involves high capital expenditure both in construction and maintenance, to control the atmospheric composition m fruit and vegetable storage This is done through two simultaneous processes selective membrane permeability and product respiration Modified Atmosphere (MA) conditions were maintained with silicone membrane installed as windows on laboratory scale containers After 60 days, MA stored mandarins had better colour, fresher appearance and lower mass loss (12%) than that stored for the same period under Regular Atmosphere (mass loss of 30%) The MA stored strawberry showed less physiological loss of weight (I 4%) and a firmness reduction of 34% at the end of 14 days storage using silicone membrane.
