Effect of Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Quality and Shelf Life of Minimally Processed Carrots

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging on the quality and shelf life of minimally processed carrots during cold storage. Ready-to-eat carrots (Nantes) prepared by manual peeling and automatic slicing were packed with passive (in air) and active modified atmospheres at low (5% O2, 10% CO2, 85% N2) and high oxygen concentrations (80% O2, 10% CO2, 10% N2). Minimally processed carrots were packed in polypropylene (PP) trays sealed with PP based film. Microbial, chemical, physical, and sensory analyses were conducted in carrots for 21 days at 4 °C. There was no yeast or mold growth during the 21 days of storage; however, the growth of mesophilic aerobic bacteria was observed at all treatments. The carrots packed with high oxygen and passive MAP retained quality properties better compared to low oxygen. The whiteness index did not significantly change during the 21 days of storage in all applications, indicating the good retention of orange color. The texture values declined for both passive and active MAP applications after 14 days of storage indicating a significant softening (P ≤ 0.05). According to oxygen level in the headspace and sensory results, shelf life of minimally processed carrots is suggested as 7 days for high oxygen and passive MAP application; however, it is limited to only 2 days for modified atmosphere with low oxygen.