Humidity-efficient Clamshells to Decrease Moisture Loss and Extend Storage Life of Small Fruits

A humidity efficient one-pound clamshell was designed for small fruit packaging. Quality attributes and shelf-life of lychee, sweet cherry, strawberry, blueberry, Chinese bayberry, and loquat fruits packaged in the new clamshells and commercial clamshells were compared during storage at 0, 5, 10 and/or 20 °C. Water loss of fruit in the new clamshells decreased by at least 62%, in comparison to commercial clamshells at all storage temperatures.  As a result, fruit in the new clamshells had less surface shriveling and flesh softening (cherry, strawberry and blueberry), stem (cherry) and calyx (strawberry) browning and drying, and pericarp browning (lychee). Oxygen and CO₂ concentration in both clamshells did not substantially change from the atmosphere, and there was no anaerobic metabolism in the packaged fruits. Blueberries inoculated with a fruit decay organism, Colletotrichum acutatum, or non-inoculated, were packaged in the clamshells and stored at 1 and 20 °C, and there was no difference in decay incidence despite the higher internal humidity caused by the reduced open areas. The new clamshell extended shelf-life of fruits by an average of 178% in comparison to commercial clamshells. (Some of the material discussed in this abstract and associated manuscript comprises the subject matter of a patent application currently pending with the US Patent and Trademark Office.  If you are interested in licensing the technology described herein, please contact Dr. Jinhe Bai or Dr. Liz Baldwin.  Dr. Bai or Dr. Baldwin can direct you to the appropriate US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) personnel who can answer your questions and provide you with further information regarding licensing opportunities.  In the event that either Dr. Bai or Dr. Baldwin is not immediately available, please contact the Technology Transfer Coordinator for the USDA-ARS South Atlantic Area Office in Athens, GA).