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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp5 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Effect of packaging materials on shelf-life and quality attributes of strawberry [Fragaria × ananassa (Duchesne ex Weston) Duchesne ex Rozier] under ambient storage

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.11132
Submitted
5 August 2025
Published
24-08-2026

Abstract

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa (Duchesne ex Weston) Duchesne ex Rozier) is a highly perishable non-climacteric fruit harvested at full ripeness, making postharvest management critical. Its high respiration rate and soft texture lead to rapid postharvest deterioration and a limited shelf life. They also experience high postharvest losses due to water loss, fungal growth, mechanical damage and physiological decline. This study evaluated the effectiveness of various packing materials in maintaining strawberry quality and extending shelf life. Strawberry fruits were packaged in punnets, cardboard boxes, paper bags, aluminium foil, biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) covers and polyethylene zip-lock bags. Samples were stored at 19 ± 1 °C and 60 ± 5 % relative humidity under ambient conditions. Following packing, observations were made at 0, 2 and 4 days. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) punnets showed superior performance by minimising physiological weight loss and preserving firmness, while maintaining key quality attributes including total soluble sugars, sugars, vitamin C, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, titratable acidity (TA) and pH. Compared to the unpacked control, PET punnets were the most effective packaging system for preserving postharvest quality under ambient conditions.

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