ABSTRACTDEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVE PACKAGING TRAYS WITH ETHYLENE REMOVING CAPACITY ByGauri Sudhir AwalgaonkarActive packaging is an innovative packaging solution to recent consumer demands for fresher and safe produce for longer periods. Ethylene-removing packaging can take away ethylene from the produce surroundings delaying ethylene’s detrimental effects and thereby leading to an increase in shelf life. The focus of the present work was to develop a tray with ethylene removing capacity. Ethylene scavengers (potassium permanganate, two activated carbons, two zeolites, metal-organic frameworks) were characterized by studying their ethylene removing capability under temperature (23 oC and 4 oC) and humidity (< 5%, 55%, and 100% RH) conditions, while petroleum-based and bio-based plastics were compared by measuring their barrier properties. Thermoformed trays were developed with selected scavenger and plastic characterized for their ethylene scavenging capacity, thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties and evaluated for packaging application in produce. Trays were developed with activated carbon as the scavenger as it had good ethylene removing capacity at ≥ 55% RH, low density polyethylene was selected as the polymer of choice because of its barrier properties. Thermoformed trays able to adsorb ethylene were developed with 10% activated carbon and no differences in terms of thermal, mechanical and barrier properties were obtained compared to trays without activated carbon. Further studies on the ethylene removing capacity of the developed trays need to be carried out.
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