Extending the shelf life of fresh-cut vegetables with sustainable packaging: A case study on rocket leaves
The demand for minimally processed vegetable products is rising, yet their high perishability limits shelf life to approximately seven days. Simultaneously there is a growing shift towards replacing fossil-based packaging materials with sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives. The study a...
| Autores: | , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:digital.csic.es:10261/396555 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/396555 https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105009887393 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Cellophane Polylactic acid Polypropylene Rocket leaves Shelf life Sustainable packaging food packaging rocket vegetables |
| Sumario: | The demand for minimally processed vegetable products is rising, yet their high perishability limits shelf life to approximately seven days. Simultaneously there is a growing shift towards replacing fossil-based packaging materials with sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives. The study aims to compare the behaviour of rocket leaves packaged in three different types of bags: oil-based commercial polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA), and cellophane (CFN), the latter two being compostable materials. The research focused on key factors such as barrier properties and the respiration of rocket leaves. Results revealed that gas permeability, permselectivity and UV barrier were found to be higher in CFN, followed by PLA and PP. On the other hand, PLA and CFN showed higher water permeability values than PP In terms of shelf life, after 10 days of storage at 4°C, rocket leaves packaged in PLA and CFN maintained atmospheric composition and microbiological stability comparable to those stored in PP. Sensory analysis further revealed a preference for rocket leaves packaged in PLA bags. Therefore, PLA emerges as a viable compostable alternative for packaging rocket leaves without compromising their shelf life compared to conventional fossil-based options. |
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