Although individual-seal and MAP appeared to reduce bell
pepper fruit moisture loss, some limitations have inhibited commercial
use. One problem is development of aerobic microorganisms
due to water condensation caused by temperature
fluctuations during storage or transportation. Miller et al. (1984)
noted that film wrapping increased the incidence of bacterial soft
rot in bell pepper compared to nonwrapping. Brackett (1990)
also showed that shrink-wrapped pepper developed higher populations
of total aerobic microorganisms, yeasts, and molds than
did unpackaged pepper.
Another limitation involved environmental concerns about using
plastic materials. Replacement of plastic films with edible
or biodegradable materials is desirable from an environmental
perspective. The application of edible coatings and films in fruits