Package-Unit Marketability and Storage-Life Endpoints Distinguish Dehydration- and Decay-Limited Failure During 0 °C Storage of Fresh-Market Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) Roots

Fresh-market balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) roots were evaluated at 0 °C to distinguish dehydration- and decay-limited storage. A 30 μm polyethylene liner (PE30) and woven polypropylene (PP) sacks were compared with and without washing, using three packages per combination in each of two commercial source lots. Package-unit mass loss and visible decay were summarized over 16 weeks using defect-specific endpoints and the marketable-mass retention index (MMRI). PE30 mass loss was 1.4–2.6%, compared with 32.5–39.5% under PP, which reached the dehydration stopping rule. PE30 treatment-mean times to 20% visible decay were 5.5–18.0 weeks, interpolated between fortnightly observations; these differ from PP dehydration endpoints. In one lot, week-16 PE30 decay averaged 15% after washing versus 75% without washing, but statistical support was model-dependent. Descriptive week-16 ΔE, firmness and total phenolic content ranged from 5.21–14.31, 22.56–33.72 N and 46.13–56.73 mg GAE g−1 dry weight, respectively. MMRI combined retained mass and sound-root counts, but did not measure saleable mass. PE30 consistently reduced dehydration under the tested conditions, whereas washing did not show a consistently supported decay benefit. Package-unit assessment distinguishes the dominant failure mode when each endpoint retains its specific criterion.