Maintaining Flesh Firmness Research Articles

The effects of removal of ethylene from low oxygen storage atmospheres on the quality of ‘Cox's Orange Pippin’ apples

Removal of ethylene (C 2H 4) from storage atmospheres of 1.25, 1.0 and 0.75% O 2 reduced firmness loss of apple fruits ( Malus domestica Borkh cultivar ‘Cox's Orange Pippin’). The use of a 15% CO 2 pre-treatment to reduce C 2H 4 production rates increased the risk of low temperature breakdown and reducing the store O 2 concentration exacerbated the disorder. Reducing the store O 2 concentration and removing C 2H 4 increased the incidence of core browning, but C 2H 4 removal and reducing store O 2 levels had opposing effects on the maintenance of acid content. A pre-treatment of 5% CO 2 was found to be as effective as 15% CO 2 in maintaining flesh firmness in 1.25% O 2 at 3.5°C when C 2H 4 was removed from the store atmosphere, but did not increase the incidence of disorders above that of control samples. Storage in 0.75% O 2 resulted in ethanol formation.

The effects of storage atmosphere and temperature on the keeping quality of Spartan apples

SUMMARYThe rate of softening of apples of the variety Spartan was reduced by addition of 6 or 8% CO2 to a storage atmosphere of 2% O2 at 1 ‐5 oC. This effect was observed in three seasons and in samples from five sources. Sensory assessments suggested that addition of carbon dioxide to the storage atmosphere had no adverse effect on eating quality.Storage in 2% O2 at – 1 oC was as effective in maintaining flesh firmness as 8% CO2+ 2%O2 at 1–5 oC.Strategies for further reductions in firmness loss during storage of Spartan apples are discussed.