Sulphur dioxide evolution during dried apricot storage

Abstract: Sulphur dioxide is used as a pre-treatment to facilitate drying, improve product quality and extend the shelf life of apricots. During storage, SO2 losses are observed, thus reducing the effect of this agent. The aim of this paper is to analyze the evolution of SO2 content in dried apricots packaged in different types of containers, namely glass and polypropylene trays thermosealed with different films (oriented polyamide OPA+polyethylene PE and polyamide PA+polypropylene PP). The packaging atmosphere was air in all cases. Storage was carried out at constant temperature: 5, 15, 25 and 35°C. Stored samples were analysed periodically over 12 months. In order to model the SO2 losses, two empirical kinetic models were tested: these models assimilate this process to a first order irreversible and a first order reversible kinetics. The explained variance being higher than 94% in all cases, but only the reversible kinetics is able to depict the residual SO2 observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]