February 22, 2024 | International Journal of Refrigeration |
A study by King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand, and Université Paris-Saclay, France, examined the air cargo supply chain for fresh mangoes from Thailand to France. The study aimed to assess temperature variations during transport and their impact on mango quality during subsequent storage. Thermo-hygrometer data loggers were used to monitor air temperature, relative humidity, and fruit peel temperature in 27 cartons within a Unit Load Device (ULD) containing 148 cartons. The study found that during the 12-hour cruising period, temperatures in the upper cartons remained stable, while those in the base cartons decreased from 26.1 °C to 18.1 °C. However, the position of the cartons within the ULD had no significant effect on fruit quality during the 15-day storage period, with fruit temperatures ranging from 16.6 °C to 30.5 °C throughout the supply chain. Mangoes stored at 16.1 °C maintained better quality than those stored at 21.6 °C, highlighting the impact of storage temperature on fruit preservation. The study also developed a mass loss evolution model using the measured temperature and humidity data, which accurately predicted mango shelf life under different supply chain conditions.