Physico-chemical and sensory quality of ‘Clemenules’ mandarins and survival of the Mediterranean fruit fly as affected by complementary cold and carbon dioxide quarantine treatments

Abstract

Cold-based quarantine treatments (exposure to 1.1–2.2 °C for 14–18 d) against the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) must be currently applied to Spanish citrus exports to pest-free markets such as the United States. Alternative or complementary treatments are needed because fruit quality of some cold sensitive cultivars can be adversely affected by these quarantine protocols. In this work, physico-chemical (rind color, firmness, and physiological disorders, soluble solids concentration, titratable acidity, maturity index, juice yield, and ethanol and acetaldehyde content) and sensory (sweetness, acidity, sensory maturity index, off-flavors, and mandarin-like flavor) fruit quality of ‘Clemenules’ clementine mandarins and survival of C. capitata were assessed on fruit subjected to integrated quarantine treatments consisting of exposure to 1.5 °C for 3, 6, 9, or 12 d followed by exposure for 20 h to a controlled atmosphere (CA) of 95% CO 2 at 20 or 25 °C. Complete insect mortality with no negative effects on fruit quality after 7 d at 20 °C of shelf life was obtained on clementines first exposed to 1.5 °C for 3 d and second treated with CA at 25 °C. Therefore, this combination of treatments considerably reduced quarantine time and showed promise as a potential commercial quarantine treatment for Spanish mandarin exports.