Experimental investigation of shrouded tomato storage systems in mitigating losses during long-distance transportation

Abstract

Postharvest handling is an important step in maintaining quality of fresh agro-produces during transportation and storage. A study on handling of fresh tomatoes using modified atmospheric packaging was done in plastic crates during logistics and storage to minimize the postharvest losses and to enhance the shelf life of the produce. Tomatoes were placed in crates and shroud system was developed with two types of packaging materials namely, polypropylene and low-density polyethylene of 75 μ thickness. Once the shrouds were filled with modified atmosphere of two different compositions, they were transported to two different transport distances. After transportation, the physico-chemical parameters were evaluated for the tomatoes stored at refrigerated temperature of 10 ± 2 °C for 21 days. The extended shelf-life of the tomatoes were found in the MAP system with crates, analysed using atmospheric composition of 10% CO₂, 10% O₂ and 80% N₂ of 70 km distance with 75 μ polypropylene film, stored at refrigeration temperature. The results showed physiological weight loss of 0.84%, decay percentage of 7.9 %, color value (a∗) of 25.12, firmness value of 13.84 N, ascorbic acid content of 21.84 mg/100g and lycopene content of 4.86 mg/100g. This indicates modified atmospheric packaging reduced firmness loss and delayed colour evolution, biosynthesis of lycopene, physiological loss and increased the shelf life and quality of tomatoes.