Temperature effects on fruit quality of mature green tomatoes during controlled atmosphere storage

Abstract

Tomatoes were harvested at the mature green stage of maturity and stored at 13°C and 15°C for 60 days at three different combinations of CO2, all with 5.5% O2 compared with a control with 20.9% O2 with 0.3% O2/% CO2. Tomatoes were evaluated for changes in colour, titratable acidity, total soluble solids and decay appearance. In this experiment, the 'Criterium' variety of tomatoes was used and it was found that this variety was not suitable for storage at 13°C. Some chilling injury symptoms were observed during the storage period at 13°C, which did not occur at 15°C. Uneven colour development, irregular changes in titratable acidity and total soluble solids were observed during the storage period at 13°C, and the fruits did not ripen properly even after further 10 days ripening time in air at 20°C. Furthermore, the amount of decayed fruits was higher at 13°C than at 15°C, especially after 50 days of storage. In fruits stored for 60 days at 13°C, alterneria rot, blue mould rot and 'cottony leak' occurred that could be associated with chilling injury and increased during a further 10 days ripening at 20°C. It was concluded that the 'Criterium' variety is not suitable for storage at 13°C.