Modified atmosphere packaging of minimally processed cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

Cabbage heads were minimally processed and the shredded cabbage was either washed with 0.5% citric acid or not washed before storing under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in polypropylene (PP) film bags at 15 degrees C and 75% relative humidity (RH) in a cold room to study the effect of washing on pigments and antioxidant content of shredded cabbage. Citric acid washed samples had a drastic reduction in chlorophyll content. However, for non-washed shredded cabbage, under the in-pack gaseous concentrations of 4.2-8.1% O-2 and 8.2-11.6% CO2, the chlorophyll content could be maintained to sufficiently reasonable levels. A combination of low in-pack O-2 (4.2%) and high CO2 (11.8%) concentrations showed beneficial effect on beta-carotene content of non-washed samples, while it decreased drastically both under anaerobic as well as under the sustained higher levels of in-pack O-2. The ascorbic acid (antioxidant) content could be retained significantly, both in non-washed and washed cabbages under the gaseous atmospheres of 2.4-4.2% O-2 and 11.8-13.5% CO2. However, under anaerobic levels of O-2 it decreased at a faster rate for all the packaging treatments. Thus, washing of shredded cabbage with 0.5% citric acid led to a drastic reduction in its chlorophyll and P-carotene contents during storage under modified atmosphere, while the ascorbic acid content was affected marginally.