ETHYLENE PRODUCTION AND QUALITY IN 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE TREATED 'ABBÉ FÉTEL' PEARS AFTER STORAGE IN DYNAMICALLY CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE

Abstract

This research studies the ethylene production rate (EP) and quality in 1-MCP treated 'Abbe Fetel' pears after storage in DCA compared to NA and CA. 1-MCP treated (300 ppb) and control fruit were stored at -0.5°C in NA, CA (2 kPa O 2 + 0.7 kPa CO 2 ) and DCA (0.7 kPa O 2 + 0.3 kPa CO 2 ). After 4 and 6 months storage, fruit were held up to 7 d at 20°C. Skin colour, firmness and EP were measured during shelf life and the incidence of disorders after 7 d. I-MCP treatment drastically reduced EP, which began to recover after 7 d at 20°C, except for DCA stored pears. In control fruit, NA stored pears showed the highest EP. I-MCP treated fruit were the greenest at the end of shelf-life, especially after CA and DCA. Control fruit stored in DCA and in CA were greener than NA both at 1 d and 7 d of shelf life. Pears treated with 1-MCP did not soften during shelf life, while in control fruit firmness decreased from about 40 N to about 15-20 N, whatever the storage atmosphere. 1-MCP treatment prevented soft and superficial scald and internal breakdown, independently of storage atmosphere. DCA prevented superficial scald in control fruit, while it increased internal browning and breakdown in control and 1-MCP treated pears. No differences were found for soft scald incidence between control DCA and CA stored fruit. The highest percentage of sound fruit was found in NA stored 1-MCP treated pears, and the lowest in control fruit stored in DCA.