Active package for wild strawberry fruit (Fragaria vesca L.)

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Agricultural Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Wild strawberries are highly perishable, limiting their shelf life and marketability.
• Fungal decay, particularly from Botrytis cinerea, significantly impacts strawberry quality and safety.
• Extending the shelf life of fresh produce requires innovative preservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an antimicrobial active package for wild strawberries.
• To evaluate the efficacy of 2-nonanone in an equilibrium-modified atmosphere packaging (EMAP) system against Botrytis cinerea.
• To assess the impact of 2-nonanone on wild strawberry quality parameters during storage.

Main Methods:

• Wild strawberries were stored in EMAP with varying concentrations of 2-nonanone at 10°C and 22°C.
• Botrytis cinerea growth was monitored.
• Quality parameters including weight, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and anthocyanins were measured.

Main Results:

• Antimicrobial active packaging with 2-nonanone significantly inhibited Botrytis cinerea growth.
• High CO2 partial pressures in EMAP likely synergized with 2-nonanone for enhanced antifungal activity.
• 2-Nonanone effectively retarded weight, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and anthocyanin losses, with increased efficacy at higher concentrations.

Conclusions:

• The developed active package effectively inhibits fungal decay in wild strawberries.
• 2-Nonanone release from active packaging delays senescence and preserves the quality of wild strawberries.
• This technology offers a promising solution for improving the safety and extending the shelf life of highly perishable wild strawberries.