Potential of Essential Oils from Active Packaging to Highly Reduce Ethylene Biosynthesis in Broccoli and Apples

The high potential of essential oils (EOs) in vapor phase to reduce ethylene biosynthesis was studied at (1) in vitro experiment (nonencapsulated) with citral vapor applied to broccoli florets (sensitive product model) and apple wedges (high-ethylene producer model), and (2) validation experiment with EOs vapor released from active paper sheets (encapsulation) in broccoli florets. Ethylene production (22 °C) of broccoli and apples was reduced by 30–40% with low doses (2.5–3 μL L^–1) of citral. Such ethylene inhibition was validated using industrial EOs active paper sheets for packaging of broccoli florets at different temperature scenarios (2, 7, 15, and 22 °C). The broccoli ethylene production was reduced with vapor EOs by 30–40% (22 °C) and up to 40–70% (2 °C). Conclusively, EOs-active paper sheets highly controlled ethylene production in broccoli florets either at optimum storage temperature (2 °C) or under abusive commercialization temperatures (22 °C).