Respiration kinetics of mangoes and Asian pear fruits under MA conditions and its relation to the ripening behaviours.
Sornsrivichai J., Yantarasri T., Gemma H.
Author Affiliation: Department of Biology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
: 339-344
Abstract : Respiration of mango and Pyrus pyrifolia fruits under modified atmosphere (MA) storage conditions was determined indirectly by numerical analysis of time-course changes in gas concentration inside the closed package system. Under MA conditions, the CO2 production rate was approximately constant while O2 consumption rate depended linearly on O2 level inside the package for both P. pyrifolia and mango fruits. The kinetic constant of oxygen consumption rate (dO2/dt) was 1.40(O2), 0.92(O2) and 0.25(O2) while the CO2 production rate (dCO2) was 12.2, 8.87 and 4.60 ml.h-1.kg-1 in Nam Dork Mai mango, Keaw Sawoey mango and Pien Pu P. pyrifolia fruits, respectively. When the calculated respiration function was fitted into the mathematical model describing the net rate change of CO2 and O2 due to fruit respiration and gas permeation through the package film, the predicted MA conditions closely described the actual conditions inside the package. The respiration kinetics supported the result that PVC sealed packaging had less effect in delaying ripening of low-respiring Pien Pu P. pyrifolia fruits but caused anaerobiosis to occur in high-respiring Nam Dork Mai mango fruits. A difference in the depletion of internal O2 levels in the different kinds of fruit under MA was also observed.