Influence of protective characteristics of packaging material on packed dried fruits

Abstract

Dried fruits are very delicate to biochemical changes during storage, due to low water content, as well as low aw value. The shelf life of these products depends on aw value. Materials for dry fruits packaging are necessary to have appropriate barrier characteristics for water, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide molecules, as well as for electromagnetic rays, especially those with low wavelengths in UV region. During storage of packed dry fruits, qualitative changes, influenced by different packaging materials, may occur. The results of tested characteristics of different packaging materials, combination and their barrier features, as well as the qualitative changes of packaged dried apples are presented in this paper. The qualitative changes of colour and sensory characteristics of packaged dried apples point out to influence of the type, combination as well as the barrier features of used packaging materials.