Low oxygen treatment prior to cold storage to maintain the quality of apples at industrial scale

Abstract The objective of the current research was to ascertain the shelf-life ability of apple ‘Auksis’ after 6 months of cold storage under different conditions. The effect of storage conditions such as: cold storage under normal atmosphere (NA), 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) + cold storage, and ultra-low oxygen (ULO)-controlled atmosphere (CA) [2.0% CO2 and 1.0% O2 (ULO1) and 2.5% CO2 and 1.5% O2 (ULO2)] on the quality of apples during shelf-life was evaluated. Apple fruits immediately after cold storage and after 25 days of maintaining at market condition had been evaluated. The physical (firmness, weight losses), chemical (total soluble solids and acid contents), and sensory (aroma, taste, acidity, sweetness, juiciness, and color) characteristics of apples had been evaluated after 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 days to ascertain maximal shelf-life. Results from sensory evaluation indicated that apples treated with 1-MCP and stored at NA were characterized with distinctive aroma, whereas apples stored under CA were poor in sweetness and had remarkable acidity and juiciness. Apples that were stored in cold had pronounced aroma and color but without taste. Based on the evaluation by panelist, maximum shelf-life of apples that were kept under cold storage and ULO1 was 15 days, whereas that of apples that had been treated with 1-MCP and stored at NA and those stored in ULO2 was 25 days.

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Effects of Postharvest Prestorage Hold Temperatures Followed by Cold or CA Storage on the Quality of `Bartlett' Pears

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.30.4.792c ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 792C-792

Author(s):

C.L. Chu

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Cold Storage ◽

Color Change ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

Controlled Atmosphere ◽

Low Oxygen ◽

Holding Period ◽

And Storage ◽

Holding Temperature

`Bartlett' pears were harvested from four commercial orchards at their optimum harvest date and 3 or 7 days later (depending on grower orchard). Samples were held for 3 or 7 days before stored in cold storage and two controlled-atmosphere conditions: 1) cold storage at 1C; 2) regular CA storage (2.5% O2 + 1.0% CO2 at –1C); 3) low-oxygen CA (1.0% O2 + 0.2% CO2 at –1C). After 2 months of cold and CA storage, pears showed that postharvest prestorage holding temperature, affected the rate of change in weight loss, firmness, ground color, and senescent breakdown. After 4 months of CA storage, `Bartlett' pears maintained their quality at about 53–58 N of firmness. Firmness loss, peel ground color change, and senescent breakdown of `Bartlett' pears were affected by the holding temperature and the length of the holding period between harvest and storage. In conclusion, pear quality was reduced depending on the holding temperature and holding period between harvest and storage. CA storage maintained better pear quality than cold storage. Fast oxygen pulldown in order to establish CA condition sooner was essential to maintain better pear quality.

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