Role of laser micro-perforations on ethylene transmission rate in packaging materials used for fresh produce

Ethylene transmission through the packaging plays a vital role in determining the ethylene concentration inside the fresh produce package. Several investigations describing the oxygen, water vapour afnd carbon dioxide transmission in modified atmosphere packaging have been studied previously; however, there is a lack of studies on the ethylene transmission rate. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the ethylene transmission through a laser perforated oriented polypropylene packaging film, commonly used in fresh produce packaging. The impact of the perforation diameter (50-150 mu m) and film thickness (20, 25 and 30 mu m) at a temperature of 25 degrees C on ethylene transmission rate was investigated. The ethylene transmission rate ( kC2H4$$ {k}_{C_2{H}_4} $$) varied from 6.75 to 10.06 cm(3)h(-1). It was found to be varied significantly (p <= 0.05), proving its dependency on the selected perforation diameter and film thickness. An increase in the perforation diameter of packaging film increased the kC2H4$$ {k}_{C_2{H}_4} $$ exponentially, whereas the film thickness had less influence on the kC2H4$$ {k}_{C_2{H}_4} $$. A model based on the perforation diameter and film thickness was employed with an acceptable R-2 of 0.98. The model parameters (a = 17.44; b = 0.35; c = 0.14) determined in this study would be helpful in designing a packaging system for fresh produce that minimise ethylene accumulation.