1Assistant Prof., Department of Agricultural Engineering, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi-834006, India
2Professor, Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur-721 302, India
*Corresponding author email address: sushil.pandey999@gmail.com
Online published on 24 February, 2017.
Perforation is an alternative and economical way to achieve desired in-package gaseous concentration. The influence of modified atmosphere packaging of capsicum quality under perforated and non-perforated condition was investigated. Capsicums weighing 500 g were packaged in non-perforated and perforated packaged film of 45 μm thickness under 1, 2, and 4 numbers of 0.3 mm diameter holes, and stored at 5 at 5°C. In package gaseous concentration, O2 concentration particularly did not go below 2%, while CO2 concentration ranged between 2–5% considered as safe in package concentration for capsicum. Weight loss was limited in perforated and non-perforated film. The acidity, ascorbic acid and firmness reduction was low during storage. Initial TSS of 4.2% increased to 5.27% in case of control sample. L* and hue angle decreased throughout the storage period, though the decrease in L* was small. Capsicum can thus be safely stored at 5°C under non-perforated and with one-hole perforated packaged film for a period of 40 days with acceptable quality and sensory attributes.
Perforation, titratable acidity, firmness, colour change, sensory evaluation
