Potential of Released Essential Oils from Active Packaging to Reduce Refrigeration Needs of Fruit and Vegetables

Abstract

The energy efficiency of fruit and vegetables refrigeration facilities can be increased through the reduction of heat generated by produce (in kWh/kg). Ethylene production in fruit and vegetables is closely linked to their respiration rates. Clean technologies that can reduce ethylene production of fruit and vegetables are needed to relax (increase) the setpoint temperature of cold rooms. The heat produced may be reduced by up to 50% when ethylene concentrations surrounding the produce are reduced from 0.1–1 to 0.001–0.01 μL L−1 during the storage of some vegetables. There is a need to find green alternatives to ethylene scavenging techniques (of high cost and chemical origin) such as, for example, active packaging with encapsulated essential oils. Hence, respiration and ethylene production rates of flat peaches and broccoli were reduced by up to 30–50% with active packaging with essential oils. It would imply a lower produce heat generation of 14–30% with the consequent energy savings in the refrigeration systems of horticultural facilities. Consequently, the potential of essential oils released from active packaging to reduce the energy consumption related to respiratory heat of produce is hereby firstly reviewed and proposed as a clean technology to extend the postharvest life of fruit and vegetables.