Effects of perforation mediated-modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) on shelf life and quality of calcium chloride treated bell pepper (Capsicum annum)

Capsicums having high respiration, transpiration, and ethylene production rates along with high susceptibility to microbial growth deteriorate rapidly during storage leading to higher loss. The current study was conducted to assess the effects of Perforation mediated- modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) on shelf life and quality of calcium chloride treated bell pepper (Capsicum annum).

For this purposed green mature fruits capsicum annum variety Indra were pretreated with calcium chloride, weighed 1kg and packed in Low-density polyethylene with no perforation (T1), LDPE with 4 perforations (T2), LDPE with 8 perforations (T3), LDPE with 12 perforations (T4), LDPE with 16 perforation (T5) and open tray (T6) and stored at ambient room temperature of laboratory. Three replications were maintained for each treatment with CRD Design and different parameters were evaluated during the study period.

Capsicum stored in perforated LDPE packet exhibited less weight loss, higher shelf life and higher vitamin C content compared to capsicum kept in an open tray. With less perforations weight loss was less. Moreover, LDPE with 16 perforations can be considered the best treatment because with higher numbers of pores it exhibited comparatively higher shelf life, optimum quality of fruits and also check the spoilage of the fruits as compared to all treatments.