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Fall-season lance Asia bell roots (Codonopsis lanceolata Benth. et Hook.) were stored at two different temperature using various packaging methods to reduce storage losses and to enhance marketing quality of processed roots. The roots were harvested in late November and stored in simulated cold storage chambers at 0 and -2℃ using small-unit packages. Commercial-scale storage was also conducted at 0℃ using large- and small-unit packaging methods. In simulated storage, film packaging effectively reduced the weight loss and shrinkage from drying of the roots, while increased the incidence of surface mold and sprouting. Lowering storage temperature to -2℃, in contrast, increased weight loss and shrinkage while significantly reducing the surface mold infection and sprouting. In commercial storage, MA packaging with 0.05 to 0.06 ㎜ PE film reduced surface mold infection and sprouting while keeping weight loss low and flesh tissue sound. Tight packaging of 30 ㎏ roots, however, resulted in flesh softening and rapid discoloration during the marketing period. Analysis of gas concentrations inside MA packages indicated that low oxygen below 1% could induce physiological disorder of lance Asia bell roots and that visual symptom developed after storage. Needle-hole perforation treatment on the 0.05 ㎜ films or use of commercially manufactured 0.06 ㎜ zipper bags with a certain amount of gas exchange seemed to be effective methods to avoid such injuries, whereas the methods brought out higher per cent sprouting partly caused by relatively high oxygen inside the package. Thus, lance Asia bell root storage could be optimized at lower temperature as -2℃ in combination with needle hole perforation treatment for large-unit packaging or with commercially-made zipper bags for small-unit packaging.
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