Maintaining Quality of Fresh‐cut Tomato Slices through Modified Atmosphere Packaging and Low Temperature Storage

Quality of fresh‐cut tomato slices was compared during cold storage under various modified atmosphere packaging conditions. Chilling injury of slices in containers sealed with Film A was higher than with Film B; these films had oxygen transmission rates of 87.4 and 60.0 ml · h ‐1 · m ‐2 · atm ‐1 at 5 °C and 99% RH, respectively. While slices in containers with an initial atmospheric composition of air, 4% CO 2 + 1 or 20% O 2 , 8% CO 2 + 1 or 20% O 2 , or 12% CO 2 + 20% O 2 showed fungal growth, slices in containers with 12% CO 2 + 1% O 2 did not. Low ethylene in containers enhanced chilling injury. Modified atmosphere packaging provided good quality tomato slices with a shelf life of 2 w or more at 5 °C.