Gas Transmission Rates Across ‘Carabao’ Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Peel at Different Stages of Maturity and Ripeness

Abstract

Gas transmission rate through fruit peel is needed to understand gas exchange between fruit and the environment. It can be used to design packaging material and formulate edible coatings to be used by the fruit. It can also be used to predict oxygen consumption and possible carbon dioxide injury which could affect ripening and could predict the internal gas level inside the fruit. Oxygen and carbon dioxide transmission rates (O2TR and CO2TR) of mango (Mangifera indica, L.) peel at different stages of maturity and ripeness which were stored under two temperature regimes were measured using gas diffusion chamber. Nitrogen gas was flushed inside the chamber to decrease the oxygen level. Then a gas mixture of known concentration was flushed in the chamber and the concentration inside the chamber was measured through time. The Exponential Decay Method of Gas Transmission Rate of Films as described by Moyls (1992) was used to relate partial pressure of the gas concentration inside the chamber and the outside condition. Results showed that overmature fruit peel-PCI3 under 27 °C had the highest O₂TR and CO₂TR (1.636 mLO₂/cm²-hr - 4.744 mLCO2/cm²-hr) while immature fruit peel-PCI1 under 14 °C had the lowest O₂TR and CO₂TR (1.104 mLO₂/cm²-hr - 3.321 mLO₂/cm²-hr). At constant temperature, gas transmission rates increase with maturity and as the fruit peel turns yellow.