Desi Gulab (Rosa damascena), a highly valued rose variety, suffers from a short post-harvest shelf life of typically 2–3 days. This study evaluated Modified Atmospheric Packaging (MAP) effectiveness in extending Desi Gulab flower shelf life and preserving quality. Freshly harvested flowers were packaged in Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) films, alongside a non-packaged control.
The research involved respiration rate measurements, film property characterization, and gas balance modelling. Quality parameters, including petal colour (L*, a*, b* values), weight loss, internal package gas concentrations (O2, CO2, N 2), and textural properties (peak force, first peak force, stiffness), were monitored over 21 days. A trained sensory panel also evaluated the flowers, with subjective data analysed using a fuzzy logic approach, supported by ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD tests.
The results showed that MAP significantly mitigated weight loss and preserved colour/textural characteristics versus the control, which lost over 60% initial weight by Day 10. PP packaging exhibited superior moisture retention, reducing weight loss to 7 g by Day 10 (from ∼10-11g initial), and maintained the highest initial brightness (L*=55.17 at Day 1). PET, with low permeability, maintained target gas concentrations consistently (O2 at 1.8%, CO2 at 9.08% by Day 21) and showed strong sustained colour retention (L*=47.5 at Day 21). PET also exhibited the highest correlation (0.91) with fuzzy sensory quality scores, maintaining scores predominantly in the 6–8 range. LDPE provided intermediate results, while the control deteriorated rapidly. Fuzzy logic confirmed PP's stable preservation and PET's overall consistency. This study validates MAP as a promising strategy to extend Desi Gulab’s shelf life, enhancing market potential and reducing post-harvest losses.
