Extension of Postharvest Life of Bell Peppers with Low Oxygen

Abstract

Green bell peppers (Capsicum annum L cv California Wonder) were stored in oxygen/nitrogen mixtures at 10, 30, 50, 70 and 210 (air) ml O 2 litre -1 for 4 weeks at 10°C. Decay, weight loss, colour, titratable acidity and soluble solids contents, internal CO 2 and ethylene were evaluated. After 2 weeks, 33% of the air-stored peppers had decayed while only 9% of those stored in 10 ml litre -1 O 2 had decayed. The benefit of 10 ml litre -1 O 2 in reducing decay continued through 4 weeks of storage. The 30 and 50 ml litre -1 O 2 atmospheres slightly reduced decay for a short time while the incidence of decay in 70 ml litre -1 O 2 was not different from the control. Peppers stored in 10 ml litre -1 O 2 had significantly lower internal CO 2 than the air control and other low O 2 treatments. A slower decrease in green colour of peppers stored in low O 2 indicates a retardation of colour change by low O 2 treatments during storage. Low respiration and ethylene synthesis rates may be the primary factors in quality retention.