| This thesis addresses a shelf-life study of canned peach halves repackaged into a flexible packaging system consisting of one-gallon EVOH pouches containing flaps of a proprietary, tin-based oxidation inhibiting material. The efficacy of this packaging system was evaluated based on changes in the color and texture of the stored peach halves. Samples were stored at 25°C to approximate ambient temperature and 35°C and 45°C to accelerate shelf-life. Browning, the shelf-life end point characteristic, was detected at 4.5 weeks in 45°C samples, at 21 weeks for 35°C samples and at 48 weeks for 25°C samples. Regression analysis on the RGB color components of the peach halves revealed that the active packaging did preserve the color of some of the samples when compared to the controls. Texture was not preserved when compared to the controls. With regard to color, the oxidation inhibiting material did extend the shelf-life of the peach halves stored in active EVOH pouches to some degree. |
