• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.980-984
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• 2010

Research regarding respiration rate, off-flavor related material and freshness maintenance effect of active MA mini-packaging on perilla leaves has been carried in this study. Respiration rate was highly maintained at high oxygen treatments ($CO_2:O_2:N_2$=0:30:70 and 0:50:50), higher than non-treatment and low oxygen treatments (6:2:92, 0:10:90) during the storage period, and ethylene production was relatively higher. However, off-flavor related materials, acetaldehyde and ethanol production was noticeably low. Weight losses of non-treatment and low-oxygen treatment were about 1.8 and 1.4%, respectively. At the fifth day of storage there was no weight loss. Ascorbic acid content was 13.3 mg/100 g F.W. at the first day of storage. At the third day of storage non-treatment showed the lowest value of ascorbic acid, 8.8 mg/100 g F.W. Ascorbic acid content of active MA treatment gradually decreased without a striking difference as the storage day extended. Chlorophyll content was the lowest at the fifth day of storage with non-treatment, 47.5 (SPAD-502 unit) while the active MA treatment maintained high level of chlorophyll content, 53.0. Sensory evaluation (vision) showed that marketability gradually decreased but was maintained in high oxygen treatments (0:30:70 and 0:50:50), even at the fifth day of storage. Occurrence of off-flavor in non-treatment at the fifth day of storage was extremely low, 2.6; whereas high in high oxygen treatment, 3.4. Active MA packaging maintained freshness two more days at room temperature (about $27^{\circ}C$).