Optimizing Thermal Treatments and Packaging to Enhance Oleaster Shelf Life and Quality

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Research

Author
Seyed Hamidreza Ziaolhagh
Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Semnan Province, AREEO, Shahrood, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract
This study aimed to extend the shelf life of oleaster (Elaeagnus angustifolia), which faces postharvest challenges such as weight loss, texture changes, and sensory degradation. The effects of heat (45, 55, and 65°C for 15, 30, and 60 minutes) and cold treatments (-18°C for 30, 60, and 90 minutes) combined with different packaging atmospheres (normal air, vacuum, and nitrogen) were evaluated in terms of physicochemical and sensory attributes during storage. Samples were stored for 10 months, and parameters such as weight loss, moisture content, firmness, color indices (a*, b*, L*), and sensory attributes were measured. Using response surface methodology, numerical optimization was applied to estimate conditions associated with improved quality retention under each packaging atmosphere. The model-based optimization suggested that heat treatment at 45°C for 15 minutes (normal atmosphere), 45°C for 25 minutes (vacuum), and 45°C for 29 minutes (nitrogen), as well as cold treatment at -18°C for 90 minutes combined with nitrogen packaging, could be favorable in terms of selected quality indicators. In a second phase, samples prepared under the predicted optimal conditions were stored for 6 months under warehouse conditions. The validation results indicated that nitrogen-packaged, heat-treated samples generally exhibited lower firmness and higher sensory acceptance compared with untreated controls, whereas vacuum-packaged samples showed lower appearance scores. Overall, the findings indicated that the combined application of mild thermal pre-treatment (45°C for 29 minutes) and modified atmosphere packaging (70% Nitrogen) had the potential to improve the storage performance of oleaster. Further studies are required to confirm these effects under commercial conditions.


 

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Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 February 2026