Shelf-life monitoring of broccoli packed with different films

The shelf-life of broccoli (cv. Marathon) stored at 6°C and 95% R.H. under different packaging conditions, was studied up to 35 days, using physical, chemical and microbiological indexes (weight loss, sulforaphane, vitamin C and chlorophyllcontent, total mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria, yeasts, moulds) to assess the product quality throughout the storage time. Five different polyolefinic films were utilized in the study, three perforated, but characterized by a different percentageof perforated area (OPTI 330 A, OPTI 330 C, OPTI 330 E), and two anti-fog nonperforated (MRX, AFG-E 60). The experimental results indicated that the use of packaging could extend the shelf-life of broccoli, with an allowable storing time of about 5 weeks, without any major loss of nutrients and modification of color. In particular, among the different perforated films tested, the OPTI 330 A, characterizedby a considerable lower percentage of holes, gave the worst results, in comparison with all the other films. The best results were obtained using the AFG-E 60 film, while no appreciable differences could be pointed out when OPTI 330 C, OPTI 330 E and MRX films were utilized.