Cold chain storage for quality maintenance of strawberry fruits attacked by Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Abstract

Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a polyphagous pest that causes severe damage in strawberries and losses during postharvest. To reduce losses the effect of cold storage on development of D. suzukii and on quality of strawberries harvested at varying maturity stages was investigated. In this work, strawberry fruits infested with eggs and first instar larvae of D. suzukii were subjected (at 0.5 ºC, 3 ºC and 12.5 ºC for 24 h, 8 h and 5 days, respectively) or not (23 ºC for 7 days) to low temperatures, simulating the usual temperatures during the distribution chain. These fruits had partially (75%) or totally the red peel. Strawberries submitted to cold storage showed better maintenance of physicochemical characteristics (firmness, total soluble solids and titratable acidity) and visual aspect, regardless of the maturation stage, than the fruits not submitted to cold storage. The use of cold storage was efficient in reducing the development of eggs and larvae of D. suzukii to pupation. Since there is difficulty in identifying and separating fruits infested by D. suzukii in a lot of apparently healthy fruits, the use of cold storage is an alternative to market them and reduce losses during commercial sale processes.