FOOD SCIENCE ›› 2013, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (10): 313-316.doi: 10.7506/spkx1002-6630-201310069

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Effect of Controlled Atmosphere on Quality of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp)) during Storage

WANG Li-bin,JIANG Li,SHI Yun,LUO Hai-bo,YU Zhi-fang   

  1. 1. College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China;
    2. Department of Biology and Food, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical College, Ningbo 315100, China
  • Received:2012-12-17 Revised:2013-03-29 Online:2013-05-25 Published:2013-05-07

Abstract:

In order to investigate the effect of controlled atmosphere (CA) on cowpea during storage, two different storage
conditions were selected: one was controlled atmosphere storage (gas components: 3% O2 + 1% CO2 + 96% N2; temperature:
9.0 ℃ ± 0.5 ℃); the other was cold storage (gas components: air; temperature: 9.0 ℃ ± 0.5 ℃). The results showed that
CA could effectively reduce weight loss, rotting rate and accumulation of cellulose, and could maintain higher contents of
reducing sugar and chlorophyll of cowpea during storage. Meanwhile, CA could inhibit the respiration intensity, resulting in
lower accumulation of superoxide anion (O2-·), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA). After 30 days, the
weight loss and rotting rate of cowpea using controlled atmosphere storage or cold storage were 2.11% and 4.21%, 5.33%
and 24.67% respectively; while the contents of reducing sugar, chlorophyll and cellulose were 10.29 mg/g and 8.65 mg/g,
0.078 mg/g and 0.067 mg/g, 20.71 mg/g and 22.58 mg/g, respectively. CA is a good method for maintaining the quality of
cowpea during storage.

Key words: cowpea, controlled atmosphere, quality

CLC Number: