Temperature and Carbon Dioxide Interactions on Quality of Controlled Atmosphere-stored ‘Empire’ Apples

Abstract

The storage potential of ‘Empire’ apples [Malus ×sylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] in controlled atmosphere storage has been studied. Fruit were treated with a range of partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2) from 0 to 5 kPa at storage temperatures of 0, 0.5, and 3 °C. The predominant storage disorders that developed were external CO2 injury, flesh browning (chilling injury), senescent breakdown (soft flesh browning), and core browning. All disorders except external CO2 injury increased with longer storage periods. The incidence of external CO2 injury was usually greater with higher storage temperature, whereas flesh browning was worst at lower storage temperatures and senescent breakdown was higher at warmer storage temperatures. The effect of storage temperature on core browning was not consistent. External CO2 injury, flesh browning, and core browning incidences were higher with increasing pCO2, especially above 2 kPa. Flesh firmness was lowest at warmer storage temperatures and in the absence of CO2. Orchard to orchard variation for all factors was high. Relationships of disorders with mineral concentrations were specific to disorder and storage conditions. The results suggest that ‘Empire’ should be stored at 1 to 2 °C, reflecting a compromise between risk of flesh browning at 0 °C and risk of senescent breakdown and unacceptably soft fruit at 3 °C and that pCO2 should be maintained below 2 kPa and closer to 1 kPa.