• Food Science and Industry
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.12-26
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• 2017

Processing steps such as washing and cutting, involved in preparing fresh-cut produce causes tissue damage, leading to rapid quality deterioration. Major defects of fresh-cut produce are discoloration, softening, off-odor development, and microbial growth. Packaging of fresh-cut produce has been changed to reduce these quality problems. Flexible packaging film is widely used to pack fresh-cut produce. Vacuum packaging was the popular packaging method in the beginning of fresh-cut industry in Korea. Vacuum packaging creates high $CO_2$ and low $O_2$ levels to control browning of fresh-cut produce. However, these conditions induce some visual defects and off-odor development. Discoloration problem was also found when fresh-cut produce was packaged with conventional packaging film or plastic tray. Modified atmosphere (MA) packaging is effective for prolonging shelf-life of fresh-cut produce by decreasing $O_2$ and increasing $CO_2$ concentration in the package. Retail MA packaging using different oxygen transmission rate (OTR) film and micro-perforated film has started to be applied to fresh-cut produce in Korea. Proper MA package design that provides optimum range of $O_2$ and $CO_2$ partial pressures is one of the major challenges in the industry. An initial package flushing with $N_2$ or an low $O_2$/high $CO_2$ atmosphere is also used to more rapidly establish steady-state MA condition. Film OTR and $O_2$ flushing affects the fermentative volatile production, off-odor development, electrolyte leakage, discoloration, $CO_2$ injury, microbial population of fresh-cut produce. There is also a demand for convenient packaging to attract consumers. Rigid fresh-cut produce container for retail market has increased since the packaging provides excellent protection from physical damage during transport. Rigid tray used as actual serving vessel for the consumer is increasing in Korea. The tray with flexible lid to wrap or seal fresh-cut produce is more and more gaining popularity. Further practical technology to control quality change and microbial growth for each fresh-cut product has been studied since various fresh-cut items were required. The fresh-cut industry also focuses on searching for more convenient and environmentally friendly packaging.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.162-162
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• 2016

We present multifunctional indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films formed at room temperature by a normal sputtering system equipped with a plasma limiter which effectively blocks the bombardment of energetic negative oxygen ions (NOIs). The ITO thin film possesses not only low resistivity but also high gas diffusion barrier properties even though it is deposited on a plastic substrate at room temperature without post annealing. Argon neutrals incident to substrates in the sputtering have an optimal energy window from 20 to 30 eV under the condition of blocking energetic NOIs to form ITO nano-crystalline structure. The effect of blocking energetic NOIs and argon neutrals with optimal energy make the resistivity decrease to $3.61{\times}10-4{\Omega}cm$ and the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 100 nm thick ITO film drop to $3.9{\times}10-3g/(m2day)$ under environmental conditions of 90% relative humidity and 50oC, which corresponds to a value of ~ 10-5 g/(m2day) at room temperature and air conditions. The multifunctional ITO thin films with low resistivity and low gas permeability will be highly valuable for plastic electronics applications.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.08a
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• pp.973-976
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• 2006

In this paper, the inorganic multi-layer encapsulation of thin film was newly adopted to protect the organic layer from moisture and oxygen. Using the electron beam, Sputter, inorganic multi-layer thin-film encapsulation was deposited onto the Ethylene Terephthalate(PET) and their interface properties between inorganic and organic layer were investigated. In this investigation, the SiON $SiO_2$ and parylene layer showed the most suitable properties. Under these conditions, the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) for PET can be reduced from level of $0.57g/m^2/day$ (bare substrate) to $1^{\ast}10^{-5}g/m^2/day$ after application of a SiON and $SiO_2$ layer. These results indicate that the $PET/SiO_2/SiON/Parylene$ barrier coatings have high potential for flexible organic light-emitting diode(OLED) applications.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.655-665
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• 2014

The effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on kohlrabi (Brassica olerace L. gongulodes group)'s quality and antioxidant molecule during storage was examined to determine the optimal film package for maintaining freshness. To extend shelf life, MAP was tested using PE $50{\mu}m$ and oriented polypropylene (OPP) films with oxygen transmission rate (OTR) at 3,000, 10,000, $15,000mL/m^2/day/atm$. The OPP film packaging with modified oxygen transmission rate showed a delay in a weight loss and extended storage period. The package with OTR 3000 attained the desired gas composition of $O_2$ 3.2-6.7 kPa and $CO_2$ 13.1-19.8 kPa, in storage at room temperature. Kohlrabi stored in this package showed the lowest weight loss and the highest visual quality. Deterioration and off-odor were developed more rapidly in PE $50{\mu}m$ towards the end of the storage at room temperature. However, there are no differences among OTR films in visual quality and off-odor until 60 days at cold storage. Vitamin C content of kohlrabi was reduced rapidly in OTR 15000 with high transmission rate and showed less loss in PE $50{\mu}m$ and OTR 3000 in both room temperatures and cold storage. Results revealed that an OPP film with OTR 3000 extended the shelf life of kohlrabi in storage with maintained quality and vitamin C.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2013

Six kinds of sprout vegetables were applied three and six types of non-perforated breathable propylene films (NPB film) for individual and mixed modified atmosphere (MA) package condition at $10^{\circ}C$ on this study. As a tah tasai, kohlrabi, rape, chinese cabbage, red radish, broccoli sprouts were packaged by 20,000, 60,000, and 100,000 $cc{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}day{\cdot}atm$ non-perforated breathable films for seven days storage. Mixed sprout vegetables were used 20,000 cc, 40,000 cc, 60,000 cc, 80,000 cc, and 100,000 $cc{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}day{\cdot}atm$ non-perforated breathable films for seven days storage. Loss rate of fresh weight, changes of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and ethylene gas concentration were measured during the storage. Visual quality and off-flavor were rated by panel tests after seven days storage. Each sprout vegetable storage with film tests had been shown under the 0.5% fresh weight loss in every packaged films, and the 20,000cc NPB film package had been suitable atmosphere condition in the carbon dioxide and oxygen gas concentration. Appearance and off-odor of sprouts packaged with 20,000cc NPB film were shown better than other films because of the proper gas movement through the film to outside during the storage. Fresh weight loss of the mixed sprout vegetables had no difference among the NPB films for seven days storage. The 20,000 cc film had been resulted in that exchange rate of carbon dioxide and oxygen was highest cause of low film permeability than sprouts respiration. But the film is not good for storage because it has been made poor value of off-order even showed high visual quality from panel test after storage. 40,000 cc and 60,000 cc non-perforated breathable films were more suitable for mixed sprout vegetable storage at $10^{\circ}C$. These result suggested that 20,000 cc NPB film was good for single packaged sprout vegetable and 40,000 cc and 60,000 cc non-perforated breathable films were good for mixed packaged sprout vegetable.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.799-806
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• 2012

This experiment was conducted to establish the optimum conditions for high $CO_2$ gas treatment in combination with a proper gas-permeable packaging film to maintain the quality of fig fruit (Ficus carica L). Among the fig fruits with different high $CO_2$ treatments, the quality change was most effectively controlled during storage in the 70%-$CO_2$-treated fig fruit. Harvested fig fruit was packaged using microperforated oriented polypropylene (MP) film to maintain the optimum gas concentrations in the headspace of packaging for the modified-atmosphere system. MP film had an oxygen transmission rate of about $10,295cm^3/m^2$/day/atm at $25^{\circ}C$. The weight loss, firmness, soluble-solid content (SSC), acidity (pH), skin color (Hunter L, a, b), and decay ratio of the fig fruits were monitored during storage at 5 and $25^{\circ}C$. The results of this study showed that the OPP film, OPP film + 70% $CO_2$, and MP film+70% $CO_2$ were highly effective in reducing the loss rate, firmness and decay occurrence rate of fig fruits that were packaged with them during storage. In the case of using treatments with packages of OPP film and OPP film+70% $CO_2$, however, adverse effects like package bursting or physiological injury of the fig may occur due to the gas pressure or long exposure to $CO_2$. Therefore, the results indicated that MP film containing 70% $CO_2$ can be used as an effective treatment to extend the freshness of fig fruits for storage at a proper low temperature.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.447-455
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• 2011

To investigate the effects of the improvement of postharvest quality on fresh tomato, antimicrobial microperforated (AMP) films were prepared and their antimicrobial abilities were observed. AMP films were made by coating different types of natural antimicrobial agents such as cinnamon, clove, and clary sage essential oils into microperforated (MP) films. Cinnamon essential oil of 10% (v/v) has proven to be very effective as inhibitor of the mold growth on tomato, compared to the clove and clary sage essential oils. Quality changes of fresh tomatoes packed using the natural AMP films (AMP10 and AMP30) and MP films (MP10 and MP30) during storage were evaluated. Total microbial growth, weight loss, firmness, lycopene content, and decay rate as the major quality parameters were monitored over 9 days at $15^{\circ}C$. The oxygen transmission rates and mechanical properties between the natural AMP and MP films were also compared. There was no significant difference in change of oxygen transmission rate, tensile strength and elongation between the AMP and MP films. For storage studies, the freshness of tomato packaged in AMP30 film was higher than that in OPP film (the control), MP10, MP30, and AMP10 films. Especially, AMP30 film exhibited high efficiency compared to the control for tomato decay during storage periods. Based on the results, the microperforation and antimicrobial properties of the packaged films may significantly affect the maintenance of an optimum gas composition within the package atmosphere for increasing the storage life and quality of produce. They were also effective on the inhibition of microbial growth by controlled release of antimicrobial agent at an appropriate rate from the package into the tomato. Natural antimicrobial agent coating microperforated films could use potential functional package as a method of extending the freshness of postharvest tomato for storage.

• Journal of Information Display
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.8-11
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• 2010

In this study, a new thin films passivation technique using Zn with high electronegativity and $MgF_2$, a fluorine material with better optical transmittance than the sealing film materials that have thus far been reported was proposed. Targets with various ratios of $MgF_2$ to Zn (5:5, 4:6 and 3:7) were fabricated to control the amount of Zn in the passivation films. The Mg-Zn-F films were deposited onto the substrates and Zn was located in the gap between the lattices of $MgF_2$ without chemical metathesis in the Mg-Zn-F films. The thickness and optical transmittance of the deposited passivation films were approximately 200 nm and 80%, respectively. It was confirmed via electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis that the Zn content of the film that was sputtered using a 4:6 ratio target was 9.84 wt%. The Zn contents of the films made from the 5:5 and 3:7 ratio targets were 2.07 and 5.01 wt%, respectively. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) was determined to be $38^{\circ}C$, RH 90-100%. The WVTR of the Mg-Zn-F film that was deposited with a 4:6 ratio target nearly reached the limit of the equipment, $1\times10^{-3}\;gm^2{\cdot}day$. As the Zn portion increased, the packing density also increased, and it was found that the passivation films effectively prevented the permeation by either oxygen or water vapor. To measure the characteristics of gas barrier, the film was applied to the emitting device to evaluate their lifetime. The lifetime of the applied device with passivation was increased to 25 times that of the PLED device, which was non-passivated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.67-72
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• 2004

Quality of fresh-cut tomato slices was compared during cold storage under various modified atmosphere packaging conditions. Chilling injury of slices in containers sealed with Film A was higher than with Film B; these films had oxygen transmission rates of 87.4 and 60.0 ml $h^{-1}\;m^{-2}\;atm^{-1}$ at $5^{\circ}C\;and\;99\%$ RH, respectively. While slices in containers with an initial atmospheric composition of air, $4\%\;CO_2+1\;or\;20\%\;O_2,\;8\%\;CO_2+1\;or\;20\%\;O_2,\;or\;12\%\;CO_2+20\%\;O_2$ showed fungal growth, slices in containers with $12\%\;CO_2+1\%\;O_2$ did not. Low ethylene in containers enhanced chilling injury. Modified atmosphere packaging provided good quality tomato slices with a shelf-life of 2 weeks or more at $5^{\circ}C$. Experiments were conducted to compare changes in quality of slices of red tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. 'Sunbeam') fruit from plants grown using black polyethylene or hairy vetch mulches under various foliar disease management systems including: no fungicide applications (NF), a disease forecasting model (Tom-Cast), and weekly fungicide applications (WF), during storage at $5^{\circ}C$ under a modified atmosphere. Slices were analyzed for firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), pH, electrolyte leakage, fungi, yeasts, and chilling injury. With both NF and Tom-Cast fungicide treatments, slices from tomato fruit grown with hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) mulch were firmer than those from tomato fruit grown with black polyethylene mulch after 12 days storage. Ethylene production of slices from fruit grown using hairy vetch mulch under Tom-Cast was about 1.5- and 5-fold higher than that of slices from WF and NF fungicide treatments after 12 days, respectively. The percentage of water-soaked areas (chilling injury) for slices from tomato fruit grown using black polyethylene mulch under NF was over 7-fold that of slices from tomato fruit grown using hairy vetch under Tom-Cast. When stored at $20^{\circ}C$, slices from light-red tomato fruit grown with black polyethylene or hairy vetch mulches both showed a rapid increase in electrolyte leakage beginning 6 hours after slicing. However, slices from tomato fruit grown using the hairy vetch mulch tended to have lower electrolyte leakage than those grown with black polyethylene mulch. These results suggest that tomato fruit from plants grown using hairy vetch mulch may be more suitable for fresh-cut slices than those grown using black polyethylene mulch. Also, use of the disease forecasting model Tom-Cast, which can result in lower fungicide application than is currently used commercially, resulted in high quality fruit for fresh-cut processing. Experiments were conducted to determine if ethylene influences chilling injury, as measured by percentage of slices exhibiting water-soaked areas in fresh-cut tomato slices of 'Mountain Pride' and 'Sunbeam' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). Ethylene concentration in containers without ventilation significantly increased during storage at $5^{\circ}C$, whereas little or no accumulation of ethylene occurred in containers with one or six perforations. Chilling injury was greatest for slices in containers with six perforations, compared to slices in containers with one perforation, and was over 13-fold greater than that of slices in control containers with no perforations. An experiment was also performed to investigate the effectiveness of including an ethylene absorbent pad in containers on subsequent ethylene accumulation and chilling injury. While ethylene in the no-pad controls increased continually during storage of both 'Mountain Pride' and 'Sunbeam' tomatoes at $5^{\circ}C$ under modified atmosphere conditions, no increase in accumulation of ethylene was observed in containers containing ethylene absorbent pads throughout storage. The ethylene absorbent pad treatment resulted in a significantly higher percentage of chilling injury compared with the no-pad control. In studies aimed at inhibiting ethylene production using AVG during storage of slices, the concentration of ethylene in control containers (no AVG) remained at elevated levels throughout storage, compared to containers with slices treated with AVG. Chilling injury in slices treated with AVG was 5-fold greater than that of controls. Further, we tested the effect of ethylene pretreatment of slices on subsequent slice shelf-life and quality. In slices treated with ethylene (0, 0.1, 1, or $10\;{mu}L\;L^{-1}$) immediately after slicing, ethylene production in non-treated controls was greater than that of all other ethylene pre-treatments. However, pretreatment of slices 3 days after slicing resulted in a different pattern of ethylene production during storage. Ihe rate of ethylene production by slices treated with 1 L $L^{-1}$ ethylene 3 days after slicing was greater during storage than any of the other ethylene treatments. With slices pre-treated with ethylene, both immediately and 3 days after slicing, the rate of ethylene production tended to show an negative correlation with chilling injury. Chemical name used: 1-aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG).