The aim of this study was to determine the shelf life of papaya of the Sunrise variety, packed in two plastic films, Bi-Oriented Polypropylene/Low-Density Polyethylene (BOPP/PEBD) and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), packed with two gas mixtures (5% CO₂ and 7% O₂; 4% CO₂ and 6% O₂). The changes in the fruit were determined by a microbiological analysis of aerobic mesophilic count, fungi, total and fecal coliforms and clostridium sulfite reducer, as well as its sensory characteristics like flavor and hardness, during 26 days of storage. The obtained results on aerobic mesophilic counts, fungi, taste and hardness attributes didn’t reveal statistically significant differences with a 95% confidence level between treatments. The treatment that presented the longest shelf life was the one with the gaseous composition of 5% CO₂ and 7% O₂, with BOPP/PEBD packaging material during 23 days of storage, on which the microbiological and sensory parameters of the fruit were preserved; demonstrated that the atmosphere modification is a good alternative to increase the shelf life of fruits.