Abstract Active packaging including encapsulated essential oils (EOs) may highly increase the shelf life of horticultural products due to the higher antimicrobial activity of EOs in the vapour phase through a controlled release from the packaging. In that sense, the aim of the present study was to study the effects of an active packaging (a cardboard box including a βcyclodextrin (βCD) inclusion complex with an EOs mix) on the quality of bell peppers (green, red and yellow) during storage at 8 °C (90 % relative humidity) up to 18 d. The EO mix (carvacrol:oregano:cinnamon 70:10:20 v:v:v) was efficiently encapsulated within the βCD inclusion complex by 94 %. Green, red and yellow peppers packaged within the active box showed 1–2 lower log units of enterobacteria than the control (without the active coating) after 11–18 d. Furthermore, green/red and yellow peppers showed lower mould counts (approximately 1 log unit) than control samples at days 6 and 11, respectively. The decay incidence of samples was also highly controlled by the active packaging with percentages lower than 5 % after 18 d while control samples showed decay incidences of 10–15 %. The use of this active box did not negatively affect the physicochemical quality of peppers even showing red and green peppers of the active box better firmness than control samples after 18 d. The shelf life of peppers stored within the active box reached 18 d while samples stored with the control box were rejected. Carvacrol residues in peppers were very low (below 1 mg kg−1) avoiding off-flavours according to sensory results. Conclusively, this active packaging allowed to extend the shelf life of green, red and yellow peppers for at least 18 d at 8 °C.

中文翻译：

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一种用于散装新鲜甜椒的创新活性纸板箱

摘要 包含封装精油 (EOs) 的活性包装可以极大地延长园艺产品的保质期，因为 EO 在气相中通过从包装中受控释放具有更高的抗菌活性。从这个意义上说，本研究的目的是研究活性包装（包含 β 环糊精 (βCD) 包合物和 EO 混合物的纸板箱）对甜椒（绿色、红色和黄色）质量的影响在 8 °C（90 % 相对湿度）下储存长达 18 天。EO 混合物（香芹酚:牛至:肉桂 70:10:20 v:v:v）被 94% 有效地封装在 βCD 包合物中。包装在活性盒中的绿色、红色和黄色辣椒在 11-18 天后显示出比对照（没有活性涂层）低 1-2 个对数单位的肠杆菌。此外，在第 6 天和第 11 天，绿色/红色和黄色辣椒的霉菌计数分别低于对照样品（约 1 个对数单位）。样品的腐烂发生率也受到活性包装的高度控制，18 天后的百分比低于 5%，而对照样品的腐烂发生率为 10-15%。使用这种活性盒对辣椒的理化质量没有负面影响，即使 18 天后活性盒的红辣椒和青辣椒的硬度比对照样品更好。储存在活性盒中的辣椒的保质期达到了 18 天，而储存在控制盒中的样品被拒绝了。根据感官结果，辣椒中香芹酚的残留量非常低（低于 1 mg kg-1），避免了异味。最终，这种活性包装可以延长绿色食品的保质期，