Changing of antioxidant activity of butterfly pea flower in modified atmosphere packaging

Currently consumers give more attention to antioxidant capacity of fresh fruit and vegetables. Demand for fresh fruit and vegetables increased, especially those with high anthocyanin contents. In Thailand, butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea) is one of the flower vegetables that has a high nutritive value and a high antioxidant activity. Effect of modified atmosphere packaging was studied to see the effect on antioxidant activities. Butterfly pea flowers were obtained from Chiangrai Province, Thailand, and examined at the Postharvest Technology Laboratory, Mae Fah Luang University. All samples were sorted without defects before packed with polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), oriented polypropylene (OPP) and paper bag, and stored at 5°C. The results showed that butterfly pea flowers packed with PP, PE or OPP bags had data of fresh weight, total anthocyanin and total phenol contents higher than paper bag. Moreover, data of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity (DPPH) and FRAP values of samples that were packed with plastic bags were higher than paper bag. Moreover, shelf life of butterfly pea flowers packed with PP, PE and OPP had the longest shelf life with 8 days.