Modified atmosphere packaging of strawberry fruit: Effect of package perforation on oxygen and carbon dioxide

The effect of film perforation on gas content during modified atmosphere pa ckaging of strawberry fruit was studied. Camarosa strawberries were refrige rated at 2 degrees C, and wrapped with polypropylene (PP) film with perfora tions of 1 and 2 mm diameter. Fruits were held at 2 degrees C during three days, simulating refrigerated transport, and then at 20 degrees C for four days to simulate retail display temperatures. Perforation degree affected f inal gas contents inside the packages, ranging from 5.68-25.96% CO2 and fro m 4.84-15.69% O-2 on day 7. Different gas content profiles were found among packages with similar perforated surface but distinct diameter perforation s, which could infer a perforation edge effect on gas exchange. Neither a C O2 stratification effect nor a gas exchange site effect were observed for t his kind of perforation-mediated modified atmosphere packaging of strawberr ies.