Abstract

CASTELLANOS, Diego A  and  ALGECIRA, Nestor A. Modelling change in color and firmness of baby banana (Musa acuminata AA) in modified atmosphere packaging. Agron. colomb. [online]. 2012, vol.30, n.1, pp.84-94. ISSN 0120-9965.

To determine the change in the ripening stage and quality through associated variables such as firmness and peel color is a useful tool for predicting the behavior and involvement of the product stored at different changing conditions. The change in O₂ and CO₂ concentration, pulp firmness and peel color were measured in a test of modified atmosphere packaging for baby banana to develop a mathematical model to represent the change in firmness and color as a function of temperature, mixture of gas and time. The fruits were packaged at three temperatures (11, 13 and 17°C) and a range of combinations of steady state concentrations of modified atmospheres (5.3 to 15.7 kPa O₂ and 0 to 11.0 kPa for CO₂), local atmospheric pressure of 74.9 kPa (0.74 atm) and 80 % relative humidity constant in polyethylene bags (HDPE) micro-perforated for a period of 30 days. The model considers the product respiration rate by an Michaelis-Menten equation of noncompetitive inhibition, and takes into account the transfer of gases through packaging film and through micro-perforations of this; the change of firmness is considered through a first-order model, and depending on the concentration of both O₂ and CO₂ by Michaelis-Menten equations; color change (in Hunter Lab coordinates) was considered separately for each color coordinate, representing the coordinate L* using an increase-logistic model, a* by a zero-order model and b* by first-order model, all temperaturedependent by Arrhenius functions. The predictive capability of the developed model is appropriate, explaining 97.0% of the modified atmosphere effect on the loss of firmness, 90.6% of the change in the coordinate L*, 88.9% of the change in a* and 96.7 % of the change in b*.

Keywords : mathematical model; respiration; pulp firmness; peel color.

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