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A perspective on packaging of fruits and vegetables

Processing and packaging are the two important phases of operations in the food industry. The final phase is the packaging stage. Packaging fresh and unprocessed fruits and vegetables poses many challenges for packaging technologists. As with all products, it is essential to work with the highest quality raw materials, and this is especially true for this product group, often referred to as fresh produce. A great deal of automation strategies are constantly being utilized in every phase of processing and packaging. The correct packaging enables processors to pack fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables and extend their shelf life. The important parameters for this shelf life extension are temperature, moisture, and a modified atmosphere (oxygen [O2], carbon dioxide [CO2], and ethylene [C2H4]). If both temperature and packaging are optimal, aging of fruit and vegetables can be slowed down significantly. Packaging for chilled foods shows a greater variety than for other preservation systems. This is because it is the microbiological growth within the food that limits the shelf life and not the interaction between the food and package. To extend the quality storage life of a frozen food product, the packaging material should restrict the rate at which the volatiles a P e r s P e C t i v e o n f r u i t a n d v e g e t a b l e P a C k a g i n g responsible for the flavor of the food are lost. Again, barrier properties are important as they dictate the transfer rates of moisture, gases, and aroma molecules from the product to the outside environment. Dried vegetables can suffer significant modifications that bring about their deterioration during storage. The factors that determine these degradations impose at the same time the type of packaging materials and storage conditions for packaged products. The vision of the future of packaging is one in which the package will increasingly operate as a smart system incorporating both smart and conventional materials, adding value and benefits across the packaging supply chain.