Abstract
Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) is an exotic non-climacteric fruit that reaches its best eating quality when harvested ripe, decreasing thereafter during storage. Our objectives were to determine the best combination of storage temperature and use of perforated plastic bags to maintain the postharvest quality of the fruit. Fruits were stored at 5, 7, or 10 oC with and without a perforated plastic bag for 20 days, followed by five days at 20 oC without the bag for shelf-life determination. Storage at 5 oC, followed by 7 oC maintained better visual appearance of the pitaya fruit after 20 days, by reducing decay incidence and severity, and maintaining greener bracts compared with fruit stored at 10 oC. Pitaya fruit stored at 5 oC without a perforated plastic bag showed no decay after storage and shelf-life. In general, higher temperatures and the use of a perforated plastic bag increased decay incidence, as well as decay severity after storage and shelf-life conditions. At all temperatures, fruit stored in a perforated plastic bag had lower weight loss during storage. After shelf-life, weight loss was highest in fruit stored at higher temperatures. Storage of fruits at 5 oC resulted in minor chilling injury symptoms in the outer flesh tissue, close to the peel. Storage at 5 oC without a perforated plastic bag was the best condition to maintain the postharvest quality of the pitaya fruit.
Highlights
Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) is an exotic fruit known as pitahaya, dragon fruit, strawberry pear, and thang
Pitaya fruit produced in California and stored at 5 oC and 7 oC had better visual appearance after storage for 20 days than fruit stored at 10 oC (Figure 1)
Storage at 5 oC and 7 oC maintained a greener color of the bracts, and reduced decay incidence and severity compared with fruit stored at 10 oC (Figure 1 and 2)
Summary
Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) is an exotic fruit known as pitahaya, dragon fruit, strawberry pear, and thang. It is a member of the Cactaceae family, and native to the tropical forest regions of Mexico and Central and South America (Mizrahi et al, 1997). Being a newly cultivated crop, there have been limited studies focused on extending the postharvest quality of the pitaya fruit (Nerd et al, 1999; To et al, 2002; Chien et al, 2007; Wall and Khan, 2008; Chutichudet and Chutichudet, 2011). Additional research-based information is needed to develop postharvest techniques that maintain fruit quality and increase fruit availability in the marketplace
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