The Potential of Essential Oils from Active Packaging to Reduce Ethylene Biosynthesis in Plant Products. Part 1: Vegetables (Broccoli and Tomato)

Essential oils (EOs) extracted from plants have a high potential to reduce ethylene biosynthesis, although their effects have not been deeply studied yet on the key components of the ethylene biosynthesis pathway: l-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic (ACC) oxidase activity, ACC synthase activity, and ACC content. Hence, the present study aimed to elucidate the effects of released EOs from active packaging (with different EO doses ranging from 100 to 1000 mg m−2) on the ethylene biosynthesis key components of broccoli and tomato under different storage temperature scenarios. The largest ethylene inhibitory effects on broccoli and tomatoes were demonstrated by grapefruit EO and thyme essential EO (up to 63%), respectively, which were more pronounced at higher temperatures. Regarding EO doses, active packaging with a thyme EO dose of 1000 mg m−2 resulted in the strongest reduction (33–38%) of ethylene production in tomatoes. For broccoli, identical results were shown with a lower grapefruit EO dose of 500 mg m−2. The studied EO-active packaging decreased ACC synthase and ACC oxidase activities by 40–50% at 22 °C. Therefore, this EO-active packaging is a natural and effective technology to reduce ethylene biosynthesis in broccoli and tomatoes when they are stored, even in unsuitable scenarios at high temperatures.