Extending storage period and shelf life and maintaining quality of dill using microperforated polypropylene packages

Abstract EN

This investigation was conducted during 2016 and 2017 seasons, at the Laboratory
of Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt, to study
the effect of five types of polypropylene packages (non-perforated, perforated with 8, 16, 24 and 32
microholes) on storability and quality of dill during cold storage for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days at 0±1°C, in
addition to 2 and 4 days at 10±1°C as shelf life.

Weight loss, appearance, off-odor, taste, total
chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, soluble solids content (SSC), total sugars content and total phenolic were
measured.

The results indicated that the microperforated polypropylene package with 24 microholes
had the best taste and appearance, and the highest total chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, sugars and phenolic
and lowest off-odor during the cold storage period at 0±1 °C for 28 days and shelf life for 4 days at 10
± 1°C in comparison with the other packages.

At the end of cold storage and period of shelf life, the
microperforated polypropylene package with 24 microholes maintained the quality of dill.