Implications of Developmental Levels and Packaging Materials on the Quality of Iceberg Lettuce for Marketing System:...

Iceberg lettuce is one of the most nutritionally important vegetables and plays a great role in economic relevance in the world, being highly consumed both at home and in fast food chains. Additionally, it is valued for its crisp texture and mild flavor. However, the natural perishability of lettuce is facing greater problems during storage and transportation to long-distance marketing. Previously conducted work revealed that the quality of iceberg lettuce is affected by various factors, including maturity stages and packaging materials. This review explores the literature available on the implications of developmental levels and packaging materials on the quality of iceberg lettuce for export-oriented marketing systems. The study provides insight into producers of vegetables and fruits, especially lettuce; harvesting iceberg lettuce at an immature stage could easily damage and deteriorate quickly due to moisture loss and high physiological processes. Overmatured similarly reduces quality because of russet spots, pinking formation, and physiological disorders. Improper packaging materials also affect the quality and shelf life of lettuce through excess loss of water and by restricting the circulation of air, then accumulating high carbon dioxide. Most of the researchers reported harvesting iceberg lettuce on the 59-65 days based on the day after planting and packing with modified atmospheric packaging; corrugated fiberboard with high- and low-density polyethylene liners and plastic crates is very paramount. This review concluded that harvesting iceberg lettuce at the optimal maturity stage and using appropriate packaging materials are very paramount to maintaining the quality of lettuce for marketing, particularly for export purposes.