Evaluation of treatments with hot water, chemicals and ventilated containers to reduce microbial spoilage in irradiated potatoes

Abstract

Potatoes irradiated to control sprouting were dipped in: hot water (56°C, 5 min; 52°C, 10, 15 and 20 min); cold (25°C, 5 min) or hot (56°C, 5 min) salicylic acid (1000 and 2000 ppm); or sodium hypochlorite (0.1 and 0.2%, 5 min); or dusted with salicylic acid (1 and 2%), to try to reduce the incidence of bacterial soft rot (Erwinia sp.) during controlled temperature (10°C, 15°C) and ambient temperature (20–34°C) storage. All treatments, particularly hot water and hot salicylic acid dip, increased microbial spoilage, possibly as a result of handling damage during the treatments combined with the inhibition of wound periderm formation as a result of irradiation. Storing irradiated tubers in well ventilated containers reduced soft rot compared to storing them in sacks and after 6 months storage at 10, 15 and 20–34°C, 95, 90 and 77% respectively were healthy and marketable.