The fruit stored under the membrane system designedfor 30 and 50% reductions in
respiration rate, followed a similar trend; the size of the membrane had a direct effect on
the amount of oxygen accumulating and carbon dioxide being depleted from the chambers
during the first few days of storage. Within the chambers fitted with large membrane areas,
the levels of oxygen were higher and the levels of carbon dioxide were lower than for
chambers fitted with smaller membrane areas. There are two possible explanations for this
behaviour: The sensitivity of avocado fruit to high concentrations of carbon dioxide and
the significant reduction of respiration rate due to the effect of modified atmosphere and
low temperature conditions. The silicon membrane system had been used before with fruits
and vegetables with lower metabolic activity. One must remember that the atmospheric
composition around the stored product under this system depends on various factors, the
metabolic activity of the commodity, the permeability of the membrane to the gases, and
the size of the membrane