Ethanol vapor releasing sachet reduces decay and improves aroma attributes in mulberry fruit

Fresh mulberry fruit have short shelf life because of their high susceptibility to microbial proliferations. Growth of postharvest diseases was significantly reduced by using ethanol vapor with the minimal inhibition concentration of 252-265 mu L L-1. The quality attributes of mulberry fruit packaged in a sealed plastic clamshell containing a developed ethanol vapor releasing sachet (Active MAP) were investigated at 10 degrees C, 60-70% RH and compared to those in a package without the sachet (Passive MAP) and in the perforated clamshell (Control). Active MAP with effective ethanol vapor release reduced fruit decay and improved aroma attributes. Disease incidence (DI) of control fruit was relatively higher, limiting the shelf life to 3 days, whereas the DI-based shelf life of the fruit in Active MAP was up to 6 days. There was a substantial increase in new emerging ethyl esters, including ethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate and ethyl hexanoate in the fruit in Active MAP.