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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314542
Title: New clamshells to decrease moisture loss and extend storage life of small fruits

Author
item Bai, Jinhe
item Baldwin, Elizabeth - Liz
item Plotto, Anne
item SUN, XIUXIU - University Of Florida
item WANG, LIBIN - Nanjing Agricultural University
item WANG, ZHE - Jilin University
item NARCISO, JAN - Former ARS Employee
item SEAVERT, CLARK - Oregon State University

Submitted to: Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/17/2015
Publication Date: 12/31/2014
Citation: Bai, J., Baldwin, E.A., Plotto, A., Sun, X., Wang, L., Wang, Z., Narciso, J., Seavert, C. 2014. New clamshells to decrease moisture loss and extend storage life of small fruits. Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society. 127:145-146.

Interpretive Summary: This research studied how a humidity efficient clamshell decreased water loss, maintained fruit quality and extended shelf-life of small fruits. The technique is simple, the cost is low, and the packing houses can apply the technology without changing the current facility and equipment.

Technical Abstract: A humidity efficient one-pound clamshell was designed for small fruit packaging. Quality attributes and shelf-life of lychee, sweet cherry, strawberry, blueberry, Chinese bayberry, and loquat fruits packaged in the new clamshells and commercial clamshells were compared during storage at 0, 5, 10 and/or 20 °C. Water loss of fruit in the new clamshells decreased by at least 62%, in comparison to commercial clamshells at all storage temperatures. As a result, fruit in the new clamshells had less surface shriveling and flesh softening (cherry, strawberry and blueberry), stem (cherry) and calyx (strawberry) browning and drying, and pericarp browning (lychee).