SUMMARY

Studies conducted in 1993-1995 which tomatoes, eggplants, bell pepper and slender green peppers were stored at 12⁰C, cauliflower, red cabbage and head lettuce at 1⁰C, both and 90-95% relative humidity, were combined with the NA, passive MA as punched and not-punched LDPE, PVC polymers and CA system with gas concentrations varied to the produce handled. During storage chemical changes, weight loss and visual quality losses were artificially followed which yielded results that suggested the most suitable MA and CA conditions for the particular vegetable studied.

According to the results, in all vegetables CA system created the best storage conditions with minimal quality losses coupled with longest storage period. On the other hand, MA condition originated by using PVC film gave better results compared to the MA conditions developed by using LDPE. During storage both CA and MA systems reduced weight losses in all vegetables quite significantly. Especially, under CA conditions the rates of such metabolic changes as pH, titratable acidity, reduce and total sugar content, starch, ascorbic acid, skin colour, flesh firmness were critically slowed down compared to NA condition. The most suitable gas mixtures for the vegetables studied and the final storage times are as follows;

Green mature tomatoes 3.5% O₂ + 3.0%CO₂, 70 days

Eggplant 3.0% O₂ + 3.0%CO₂, 40 days

Bell pepper 5.0% O₂ + 5.0%CO₂, 35 days

Green slender pepper 3.0% O₂ + 5.0%CO₂, 35 days

Cauliflower 3.0% O₂ + 3.0%CO₂, 40 days

Red cabbage 3.0% O₂ + 5.0%CO₂, 180 days

Head lettuce 3.0% O₂ + 3.0%CO₂, 20 days