Abstract
The perishable nature of fruit and vegetables requires some technological intervention to maintain quality during handling and marketing. The technology of choice for many years has been use of low temperatures as it is effective in reducing metabolism and hence extend postharvest life. However, refrigerated storage is energy intensive and the growing urgency to reduce international greenhouse gas emissions has created a need for technologies that are more environmentally sustainable but still acceptable to consumers. Ethylene is well known to promote ripening and senescence of fruit and vegetables. This presentation will review the existing data that support the potential for managing the concentration of ethylene in the atmosphere around produce in postharvest situations to allow a reduced reliance on refrigeration and thus reduce energy consumption. Methods for managing ethylene levels around produce, and barriers that need to be overcome in order to move from a temperature-based mindset are discussed.
Highlights
Numerous research studies around the world have identified the optimum low temperature at which individual fruit and vegetables achieve maximum postharvest life and comprehensive lists of recommended storage temperatures for individual produce have been published, for example by the USDA [3]. These recommendations are based on a reduction in metabolism being optimal just above the freezing temperature of about −1 ◦ C, but the recommended temperature is higher for produce where abnormal metabolism leads to chilling-related injury, physiological disorders, or failure to fully ripen
The option proposed in this paper is to reduce the impact of ethylene on postharvest metabolism by either reducing exposure to ethylene, or inhibiting ethylene action
This contention is supported by Wills et al [28], who in a survey over 12 months of 363 banana cartons on arrival at the Sydney wholesale markets found a mean ethylene concentration of 0.06 μL L−1 with the highest measurement being 0.28 μL L−1, albeit that fruit were from refrigerated shipments
Summary
Fresh fruit and vegetables are unique in being the only food group that remain living entities during postharvest handling and marketing. Numerous research studies around the world have identified the optimum low temperature at which individual fruit and vegetables achieve maximum postharvest life and comprehensive lists of recommended storage temperatures for individual produce have been published, for example by the USDA [3]. These recommendations are based on a reduction in metabolism being optimal just above the freezing temperature of about −1 ◦ C, but the recommended temperature is higher for produce where abnormal metabolism leads to chilling-related injury, physiological disorders, or failure to fully ripen. Technologies available to utilise reduced ethylene and barriers to implementation will be discussed
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