Effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on quality and shelf-life of cucumber during cold storage

Cucumber cultivar ‘Malini’ fruits were packaged in expanded polyethylene biopolymer (20µFlexfresh) having two oxygen transmission rates (OTR) of 2500 cc/kg/24 h and 6000 cc/2kg/24 h and were assessed for nutritional and sensory qualities during storage at 10 and 15oC. Minimum weight loss (10.09%) was observed in packaged cucumber while control fruits exhibited maximum weight loss (60.72%) after 18 days of MAP storage at 15oC. The firmness in cucumber at harvest was 8.24N which reduced to 4.68 and 4.72N in control after four weeks of storage at 10 and 15oC, respectively. The losses in ascorbic acid (68.3% and 65.8%) and total phenolics content (58% and 53.4%) were high in control and packaged fruits after four weeks of MAP storage at 10 and 15oC, respectively. Polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity was higher in untreated cucumber fruit. The overall acceptability sensory score of 7.09 and 7.01 was observed for packaged cucumber fruits after 21 and 28 days of storage at 10 and 15oC, respectively.