氣調儲藏自動化監控系統在釋迦之應用

Abstract

氣調儲藏對於蔬菜已有較多的應用，但對於水果的研究則較少，關鍵就在於目前還沒有一個適用的方式能有效地偵測到水果本身或是整批水果儲藏空間的氣體狀態，因此有必要開發一套儲藏環境內可自動偵測與監控氣體的系統來達到水果保鮮的目的。本研究之水果以釋迦為對象，探討裝箱釋迦於氣調儲藏環境的氣體情況，並針對水果的失重率、硬度與顏色進行比較與分析。在氣調庫之設計方面，需顧慮氣調庫之氣密性與快速達到所需的氣體濃度，經過多次嘗試及改良之後選用組合式冷藏庫當作實驗用之氣調庫，並配備精準的氣體監測感知器與控制元件。氣調庫之溫度係利用冷藏庫之制冷設備所控制，再以LabVIEW為程式開發環境，撰寫一監測與控制之人機介面，配合氮氣製造機、空氣壓縮機、鋼瓶裝二氧化碳及乙烯吸收劑等組裝成氣調庫氣體監測與控制系統。氣調儲藏之實驗結果顯示，放置於氣調庫內之水果，在失重率、硬度與外觀皆可獲得不錯的保鮮效果。在氣調庫監測與控制方面，此氣調庫可依需求維持15℃之低溫，氧氣與二氧化碳之濃度控制保持於5%，乙烯則可保持在1 ppm以下。本研究所研發之氣調儲藏環境氣體之自動化監控系統，可全程監控水果的儲藏過程，適時調整環境氣體狀況，降低因儲藏不當而造成水果損壞的影響因素，藉以維持水果的品質，不但有利於國內的保鮮銷售，更能強化其國際競爭能力。 The main purpose of this study develop an automatic monitoring and controlling system for a controlled atmosphere (CA) storage of custard apple fruit. Combined with the existing temperature, humidity and time recording instruments of a storage environment, an automatic detecting and adjusting system of a CA storage of custard apples was developed. The gas conditions in a CA storage can be monitored and also were fully controlled. The whole storage process for custard apples can be regulated in time by the adjustment of individual gas proportion. In this study, fully ripe custard apples were stored at 5% O2 and 5% CO2 at 15oC, and compared with custard apples stored at 25 oC in the air and cold storage at 15 oC. Custard apples were removed from CA storage one week after storage and different quality parameters were measured by several detectors. The results of this study are the custard apples stored in CA storage showed better retention of freshness, color and firmness as compared to the custard apples stored in the air. In addition, the custard apples were stored at 5% O2 and 5% CO2 at 15oC can obtain best storage quality of custard apples. Custard apples held in the air were highly unacceptable due to overripe and off-flavor. Therefore, this study of an automatic monitoring and controlling system for a CA storage not only the quality of fruits can be preserved for domestic market, but also these fruits have their international competitiveness when they are exported to other countries.