Abstract: Strawberry fruit were packaged with polyethylene (PE), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (L-LDPE) or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) combined with eugenol-loaded diatomite treatment. The quality changes were monitored during subsequent storage at 4 ℃. The results showed that all four treatments could inhibit strawberry decay and mass loss in varying degrees, retard the loss of soluble solids, titratable acids, reducing sugar and VC, and suppress the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the decline of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activity. Among them, MAP combined with eugenol-loaded diatomite treatment was the most effective, followed by PVDC combined with eugenol-loaded diatomite treatment, which could prolong the shelf life of strawberry to 15 and 12 days, respectively. The results of this experiment can be useful for the preservation of strawberry fruit.

Key words: strawberry, eugenol, preservative film, modified atmosphere, packaging