Abstract
ABSTRACT The storage of ‘Rocha’ pears under controlled atmosphere (CA) preserves fruit quality for long periods. However, inadequate CA conditions might impair ripening and lead to flesh browning. This research was carried out to assess the effects of CA with ultra-low (ULO), and low O2 (LO) associated with different CO2 levels on ripening and occurrence of flesh browning in ‘Rocha’ pears. Treatments evaluated were: pO2 = 0.5 kPa (ULO) and pCO2 < 0.03 kPa; pO2 = 1.0 kPa (LO) and pCO2 < 0.03 kPa; pO2 = 1.0 kPa and pCO2 = 1.0 kPa; pO2 = 1.0 kPa and pCO2 = 2.0 kPa; and pO2 = 1.0 kPa and pCO2 = 3.0 kPa. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with four replicates. Fruits were harvested in Vacaria, RS, and stored under five CA conditions during 270 days (-0.5±0.1 ºC and relative humidity of 96±2%). Fruits were assessed after CA storage for respiratory rate, ethylene production, skin color, flesh firmness, texture, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content (SSC), sensory attributes, flesh browning incidence and severity and flesh color. Fruits stored under LO with pCO2 < 0.03 kPa had higher flesh firmness and more yellow skin color than fruits stored under other CA conditions. Sensory attributes, SS and TA of fruits were not affected by CA conditions. Fruit stored under LO with pCO2 = 3.0 kPa had the highest incidence (48%) and severity of flesh browning. The pO2 = 0.5 kPa and pCO2 < 0.03 kPa and pO2 = 1.0 kPa and pCO2 = 1.0 kPa conditions are the most suitable for the CA storage of ‘Rocha’ pears.
Highlights
About 140 thousand tons of pears (Pyrus communis) are imported each year in order to meet the demand of the consumer market, representing the highest percentage of total fresh fruits imported by Brazil (FAORO AND ORTH, 2010)
The ethylene production rate was higher in fruits kept under low O2 (LO) conditions with pCO2
The increase in partial CO2 pressures for LO conditions with pCO2 of 1.0; 2.0 or even 3.0 kPa, may have limited the autocatalytic ethylene production, since CO2 has an inhibitory effect on the action of this hormone (WANG AND SUGAR, 2013)
Summary
About 140 thousand tons of pears (Pyrus communis) are imported each year in order to meet the demand of the consumer market, representing the highest percentage of total fresh fruits imported by Brazil (FAORO AND ORTH, 2010). ‘Rocha’ pear is a European cultivar adapted to the growing conditions of some regions of southern Brazil (PETINELI et al, 2014). This cultivar has good storage capacity, tolerating up to nine months under controlled atmosphere (CA) storage (GAGO et al, 2013; MARTIN et al, 2015). Pears stored under inadequate CA conditions may develop a number of undesirable characteristics, such as loss of ripening ability and incidence of flesh browning (PEDRESCHI et al, 2008; MARTIN et al, 2015)
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