Low-oxygen treatment for inhibition of decay and ripening in organic bananas

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SummaryApplication of a low-O2 atmosphere for several days prior to storing organic banana clusters was effective in preventing decay development on the crown cuts, and in delaying ripening. Preclimacteric banana clusters (Musa spp. AAA group cultivar Ziv) were treated with a low-oxygen atmosphere (2%) at 208C for 24, 48 and 72.h immediately after harvest. After removal from low-O2 stress, the bananas were stored at 128C for 21.d, and were then treated with ethylene at 188C for 24.h and transferred to shelf life at 208C for an additional 4.d. The low-O2 treatments were compared with the commercial treatment of dipping the crown cuts in 0.2% thiabendazole (TBZ). The low-O2 stress for 48 or 72.h was effective in preventing decay after shelf life, but less so than the TBZ treatment. Low-O2 for 24.h was not effective enough, and the 72.h treatment markedly impaired colour development after ripening with ethylene. The 48.h low-O2 treatment which resulted in the best decay prevention also retarded ripening processes (colour, ®rmness, respiration and ethylene production) and reduced chilling injury symptoms, without impairing the taste. The level of reducing sugars in the 48.h-treated fruit was similar to that in the control fruit after ripening and shelf life. The endogenous levels of acetaldehyde (AA) and ethanol produced by the treated fruit were lower than those in the control fruit during shelf life. It seems that there is a high potential for this physical treatment of low-O2 stress to replace chemical treatments, as means of maintaining the quality of organic bananas.