Influence of Antibacterial Packaging on Shelf Life of Fresh Grape

Grey moulds caused by Botrytis cinerea are the main problem for grape in the storage time. Fungicide treatment is proved to be necessary to retard the growth of mould spores and delay spoilage. One effective fungicide widely used in grape preservation is sulfur dioxide (SO2). A kind of antimicrobial packaging for controlled release of SO2 was developed in this paper. This mixed matrix film with three-layer structure can release SO2 gas into package, and the release amount of SO2 can be controlled by adjusting inner layer. The effect of the application of this controlled release packaging in Kyoho grape preservation has been studied. The result showed that it can continuously release a lower level (10 similar to 40 ppm) of SO2 for about 50 days. Compared with the control group, this controlled release packaging can well maintain the freshness and firmness of grape, and it also can decrease the content of soluble solids and organic acids. Furthermore, it lowered rotting rate and shattering rate of the experimental grape during storage. It was found after analysis that the better preservation was obtained when the proportion of EVA resin in EVA/LDPE blend ingredients is between 5% similar to 16%. This active antimicrobial packaging is considered as a effective replacement of traditional SO2 fumigation method for grape preservation