DIFFERENCES IN RIPENING CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE OR AIR-STORED BANANAS

Abstract

Controlled atmosphere (CA) during vessel transportation is a standard procedure in shipment of preclimacteric bananas (Musa sp. AAA, cv. 'Grand Nain') from Central America to North America or Europe. The purpose of the CA treatment is to reduce the risk of premature ripening in transit, known commercially as ripe and turning. On arrival at their destination, CA is interrupted and bananas are transported to ripening facilities where they are treated with ethylene. In order to understand the impact of preclimacteric CA storage on ripening speed and post-ripening characteristics of bananas, an experiment was conducted that simulated vessel storage under air or CA conditions, followed by commercial ripening. Green bananas were stored under 3% O 2 or air conditions for 15 days at 14°C and 95% RH in a flow-through system at flow rates of 10 l/h. Ten replicates of 18 kg of bananas per replicate were used per treatment. Respiration rates were measured daily with gas chromatography. To reduce variability among treatments, each hand of a bunch was divided in two, numbered and stored under CA or air. After storage, fruit was ventilated in air for 2 days at 14°C and then exposed to 300 μl/liter ethylene for 24 h at 16°C. Fruit was stored at 16°C after treatment with ethylene. Six postharvest parameters (L, 'a' and 'b' values, firmness, Brix, color by color chart) were evaluated daily after ethylene application. CA-stored fruit had higher firmness and lower Brix values for the first 3 days after ethylene treatment. These differences disappeared as fruit reached commercial 'retail-store' ripeness. No significant differences were found in any of the color parameters.