Research Article
Adaptation of an Underground Ventilated Pit for Potato Storage
Husen Bona*,
Teshome Wakeyo,
Tolasa Berhanu
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 2, December 2025
Pages:
65-70
Received:
10 July 2025
Accepted:
4 August 2025
Published:
20 August 2025
Abstract: The potato, or Solanum tuberosum L. is a semi-perishable product. The entire potato production-consumption system depends on effective post-harvest technology and marketing due to the crop's bulk and perishability. Decomposition, deterioration, and physiological breakdown all lower potato quality and storage life. Relative humidity, air circulation, gas composition, and storage temperature all have a direct impact on these deteriorations. Maintaining tubers in their most marketable and edible state while ensuring a consistent supply of tubers for processing facilities and markets all year long is the goal of storage. The Jimma Zone in Dedo Woreda, a possible Keble for potato production, was used to store potatoes. In order to facilitate natural drainage, a dry location with a slightly raised slope was chosen. Bamboo was used to construct a horizontal ventilation system that was 2 meters long, 40 cm wide on the sides, and even in the middle of the pit. After covering the pit with rough eucalyptus poles and a board for strength, a layer of wood is applied to stop soil from slipping through. The mature, dry, healthy, and disease-free potatoes were kept in storage, while the others were left exposed and covered. The stored potato does not deteriorate or sprout for four months and twenty days.
Abstract: The potato, or Solanum tuberosum L. is a semi-perishable product. The entire potato production-consumption system depends on effective post-harvest technology and marketing due to the crop's bulk and perishability. Decomposition, deterioration, and physiological breakdown all lower potato quality and storage life. Relative humidity, air circulation...
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Review Article
Emerging Trends in Biomaterials for Sustainable Food Packaging: A Comprehensive Review
Alebachew Molla Nibret*
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 2, December 2025
Pages:
71-77
Received:
9 September 2025
Accepted:
19 September 2025
Published:
10 October 2025
Abstract: Biomaterials for sustainable food packaging are gaining significant attention as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastic packaging. The increasing environmental concerns over conventional plastic food packaging have spurred significant research and development of biomaterial-based sustainable packaging alternatives. Biomaterials such as biodegradable polymers: including polylactic acid and polyhydroxy alkanoates along with ceramics, composites, and nanomaterials, demonstrate promising functionalities, including biodegradability, mechanical robustness, barrier properties, and antimicrobial activity. These materials arise from renewable sources and offer the potential to significantly reduce plastic pollution and carbon footprints associated with the food packaging industry. Recent advances in composite formulations and nanotechnology-enabled packaging have further enhanced their performance, making biomaterials viable contenders for diverse food packaging applications. However, technical challenges related to processing, cost, and shelf-life alongside safety and regulatory considerations remain major hurdles for widespread commercialization. Interdisciplinary research and industrial collaborations are crucial to overcoming these challenges, optimizing material properties, and ensuring consumer safety. Ultimately, biomaterials are poised to drive a paradigm shift towards sustainable, circular food packaging systems that align with global sustainability goals by reducing waste, conserving resources, and enhancing food preservation. The future of food packaging lies in biomaterials driving sustainable, circular systems aligned with global sustainability goals, with ongoing innovation, standardized testing, and supportive policies accelerating their global uptake. This review underscores the importance of continuous innovation, standardized evaluation methods, and supportive policies in accelerating the adoption of biomaterial-based food packaging solutions worldwide.
Abstract: Biomaterials for sustainable food packaging are gaining significant attention as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastic packaging. The increasing environmental concerns over conventional plastic food packaging have spurred significant research and development of biomaterial-based sustainable packaging alternatives. Biomateria...
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