PROCESS OF PRODUCING ETHANOL VAPOR RELEASING AGENT FOR SHELF-LIFE EXTENSION OF BROCCOLI

摘要

Disclosed is a process of producing an encapsulated ethanol vapor releasing agent for extending the shelf-life and maintaining the quality of broccoli comprising of drying and weighing of silica gel, encapsulating by allowing a pre-determined weight of silica gel to absorb a known volume of liquid ethanol (50 pcnt vol/wt), packaging of encapsulated ethanol into first layer of permeable paper, vacuum packaging of encapsulated ethanol into second layer of non-permeable plastic film, incorporating of encapsulated ethanol vapor releasing agent in package of broccoli and storing of broccoli in a chiller at 18oC for 10 days. The silica gel used as matrix for encapsulation of ethanol is of 5-10 mesh. The liquid ethanol used as sources of vapor is a food grade ethanol. The non-permeable plastic film used for vacuum packaging of encapsulated ethanol is oriented/cast polypropylene with 60mm thickness. The material used in packaging broccoli and ethanol vapor releasing agent is polyethylene bag (1040x1080mm, thickness 30 mm) with two holes (5mm dia.) on both sides. The process is for new harvest broccoli.