The use of cardboard box with smart active internal lining and wrapping with active biopolymer film for enhancing the shelf life and safety of fresh broccoli.

A new packaging system based on cardboard box with smart active internal lining, and with wrapping with active biopolymer film (BIO) with characteristics of ethylene adsorption, has been developed for fresh broccoli. The combined use of the active cardboard box and wrapping with active biopolymer film results in a greater shelf-life and better quality keeping in broccoli than using plastic bag in polystyrene box packaging systems with ice flakes (current commercial packaging to achieve extended shelf life in broccoli). After 35 days of refrigerated storage (at 2°C and 90% RH), the broccoli florets packaged in this new packaging system showed excellent colour and sensorial characteristics, low dehydration, and no yellowing. At this storage conditions (2°C and 90% RH), the broccoli florets packaged with ice flakes (commercial packaging system) were rejected by the tasters after 15 days of storage.