Comparison of different packaging materials to determine their effect on availability and effectiveness of 1-methylcyclopropene

The effects of corrugated board, high density polyethylene (HDPE), and wood (Gmelina arboreus) materials on available concentration of the ethylene action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) was tested in sealed chambers at different relative humidities. In addition, the ability of 1-MCP to suppress ripening of banana in the presence of those materials was evaluated.; The concentration of 1-MCP declined in the chamber headspace in the presence of the materials tested, but the rate at which 1-MCP gas was removed differed markedly. The average percentage loss for HDPE and wood was between 10-12% at the conditions tested, while for corrugated fiberboard it ranged from 12% to 94%.; The loss of 1-MCP in the presence of corrugated board occurred more readily at higher RH, while increasing the amount of material in the chamber headspace and the initial concentration seem to play an important role in the rate at which 1-MCP was depleted from the treatment chamber.; In these tests, corrugated fiberboard altered the dose response of bananas because it affected the amount of 1-MCP present, thus markedly reducing the effectiveness of the compound.