Patent ID: 8092848

Claim:
A sealed package comprising, (a) a sealed polyethylene bag, and (b) within the sealed polyethylene bag, (i) bananas, and (ii) a packaging atmosphere around the bananas which is an equilibrium atmosphere comprising O 2 , CO 2 , and exogenous ethylene or the residue of exogenous ethylene, the O 2 content having a substantially constant value which is 1.5 to 6%, the CO 2 content having a substantially constant value which is less than 15%, and the total quantity of O 2 and CO 2 being less than 16%; the sealed polyethylene bag comprising at least one atmosphere, control member which (i) provides a pathway for O 2 , CO 2 and ethylene to enter or leave the packaging atmosphere, and (ii) provides at least 50% of the oxygen permeability of the sealed bag; and the sealed polyethylene bag having an O 2 permeability at 13° C. per kg of bananas in the package (OP13//kg) of at least 1500 ml/atm,24hrs, an ethylene permeability at 13° C. per kig of bananas in the package (EtP13//kg) which is at least 2 times the OP13//kg, and an R ratio at 13° C. of at least 2.