Utilizing the IAD index to determine internal quality attributes of apples at harvest and after storage

A hand-held instrument (DA Meter, Sinteleia, Bolonga, Italy) which measures chlorophyll nondestructively and gives an I_AD index (index of the absorption difference between 670 and 720 nm), was used to measure quality attributes of three cultivars of apples. A preharvest study conducted in a ‘Starking’ apple orchard found determination coefficients of r² values of 0.79 to 0.64 between the I_AD index and starch levels, firmness, TSS and TA of fruit. Three orchards of ‘Starking’, ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Pink Lady’ apples were sampled during commercial harvest and the apples held in air storage for up to six months. The I_AD index measured either at harvest or at removal from storage was correlated with TSS, TA and firmness of the apples. The r² values were best for TSS (0.76) and poorest for firmness (0.51). Moreover, the measurement at harvest and at removal from storage gave similar prediction coefficients for quality attributes. This measurement can be used to sort at harvest for different quality classes after storage, or at removal from storage for different marketing classes.     

Responses of 1-MCP application in plums stored under air and controlled atmospheres

The potential of 1-MCP for controlling ripening in ‘Angeleno’ plum fruit under air and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage was explored, and the possibility that 1-MCP can inhibit development of brown rot caused by Monilinia laxa and internal breakdown in ‘Fortune’ and ‘Angeleno’ plums tested. After harvest, fruit were exposed to 300 and 500 nl l⁻¹ (in 2003) and 500 nl l⁻¹ 1-MCP (in 2004) at low temperatures (0–3 °C) for 24 h. After treatment the plums were stored in air at 0 °C and ‘Angeleno’ fruit were also stored in CA storage (1.8% O₂ + 2.5% CO₂). Following storage, fruit were kept at 20 °C. In ‘Angeleno’ fruit, 1-MCP was effective in delaying the loss of firmness and colour changes during holding at 20 °C. 1-MCP reduced brown rot in fruit stored in CA but no significant reduction was found in air storage. Internal breakdown, a major physiological storage disorder in plums, was inhibited by 1-MCP treatment. Furthermore, since 1-MCP applied in air storage showed better results than the control in CA conditions, an application of 1-MCP before air storage could be the best way to reduce the ripening process for short or medium storage periods (40 and 60 days). CA storage plus 1-MCP treatment could be used for long periods (80 days).     

Internal ethylene concentrations in apple fruit at harvest affect persistence of inhibition of ethylene production after 1-methylcyclopropene treatment

Factors that affect the efficacy of 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment of apples [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] include cultivar and maturity. In this study, ‘McIntosh’, ‘Cortland’ and ‘Empire’ apples were categorized by internal ethylene concentrations (IECs) at harvest, treated with 1 μL L⁻¹ 1-MCP, and the IECs of individual fruit followed at 30 d intervals during air storage at 0.5 °C for 90 d. IECs at harvest ranged from <0.5 μL L⁻¹ to ≥100 μL L⁻¹, 51 < 100 μL L⁻¹, and 10 < 50 μL L⁻¹ for ‘McIntosh’, ‘Cortland’ and ‘Empire’, respectively. 1-MCP treatment resulted in a decrease of IECs in fruit of all cultivars by day 30 after harvest. During subsequent storage IECs remained low in fruit with <1 μL L⁻¹ at harvest, but in ‘McIntosh’, ‘Cortland’ increased in proportion to IECs at harvest, but not in ‘Empire’. The importance of initial IECs in fruit on the persistence of 1-MCP inhibition of ethylene production was confirmed in a further experiment, in which IECs in untreated and 1-MCP treated ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Empire’ apples were measured for up to 194 d. 1-MCP also decreased 1-aminocyclopropene-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) concentrations in fruit. The results of our study are consistent with the hypothesis that IEC modulates the sensitivity of climacteric fruit to 1-MCP.     

Repeated treatment of apple fruit with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) prior to controlled atmosphere storage

The effect of multiple 1-MCP treatments prior to the establishment of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage on the quality of ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Empire’ apples [Malus × sylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] was investigated. Fruit were harvested on three occasions over a 1 week period, and at each harvest cooled overnight and 1-MCP applied the following day. Fruit from the first or second harvests were treated again or for the first time when fruit from each successive harvest was treated. CA conditions were established after the last 1-MCP treatment and fruit were stored for up to 8 months. Delays in 1-MCP application generally resulted in progressively higher internal ethylene concentrations (IECs) at the time of treatment and lower firmness both at the time of treatment and after storage. Multiple 1-MCP applications kept IECs low and maintained firmness compared with single applications that were applied after 4 d. For ‘McIntosh’, external CO₂ injury was more prevalent after storage if fruit were treated without delays after harvest for earlier harvests while later harvests were less affected. For ‘Empire’, flesh browning was more prevalent in fruit from later harvests and 1-MCP treated fruit had higher levels than untreated fruit. Either early 1-MCP treatment or multiple treatments reduced senescent breakdown in ‘McIntosh’, and core browning and greasiness in ‘Empire’.     

Cultivar differences in gaseous 1-methylcyclopropene accumulation in whole and fresh-cut apple fruit

A number of studies have shown that responses of apple fruit to 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) vary considerably among cultivars. This study was designed to determine if cultivars show differences in accumulation of gaseous 1-MCP. Apple fruit were placed in 1.76 L jars that were sealed and injected with 20 μL L⁻¹ 1-MCP. After 12 h, samples of intercellular atmosphere were removed and analyzed for 1-MCP concentration. Accumulation of internal gaseous 1-MCP varied markedly among cultivars, ranging from 0.14 ± 0.06, 0.22 ± 0.03, and 0.77 ± 0.30 in ‘Redcort’, ‘McIntosh’, and ‘Empire’, respectively, to 2.10 ± 0.28, 3.33 ± 0.13, and 6.93 ± 0.35 μL L⁻¹ in ‘Gala’, ‘Cameo’, and ‘Honeycrisp’, respectively. Accumulation of gaseous 1-MCP was reduced an average of 51% in fruit treated with Sta-Fresh 8711 fruit wax. The role of the epidermis in modulating 1-MCP ingress was determined by measuring gaseous 1-MCP accumulation in fresh-cut tissue. Fresh-cut cortical tissue rapidly depleted headspace 1-MCP (>95%) over a 1-h exposure yet accumulated negligible quantities of internal gaseous 1-MCP. By contrast, cortical tissue treated with ascorbic acid or hypotaurine, or aged for several hours prior to exposure to 1-MCP, showed reduced consumption of headspace 1-MCP and high accumulation of internal gaseous 1-MCP. Levels of internal 1-MCP in cortical tissue from the cultivars generally paralleled those for intact fruit, ranging from 0.23 ± 0.07, 0.37 ± 0.18 and 1.09 ± 0.14 μL L⁻¹ in ‘Empire’, ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Redcort’, respectively, to 2.40 ± 0.71, 4.55 ± 0.15, and 6.24 ± 0.85 in Gala’, ‘Cameo’, and ‘Honeycrisp’, respectively. Although commercial fruit wax influences gaseous 1-MCP accumulation, the comparable accumulation patterns in unwaxed whole and fresh-cut apple fruit suggest that epidermal tissue/native waxes alone do not account for cultivar differences.     

Dynamics of ascorbic acid in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Gala’ apples during on-tree development and storage in atmospheres conducive to internal browning development

The underlying causes as well as chemical and biochemical alleviation for CO₂-induced browning in apple fruit are poorly understood. Ascorbic acid (AsA) dynamics in ‘Braeburn,’ a susceptible cultivar, and ‘Gala’, a resistant cultivar, were evaluated during on-tree development and storage at 0.5 °C in air or controlled atmospheres (CA) containing 1 kPa O₂ and 1, 3 or 5 kPa CO₂. ‘Braeburn’ fruit treated with diphenylamine (DPA) was also stored for 1 month to determine effects on browning incidence and AsA concentration. ‘Braeburn’ apples had significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) AsA levels than ‘Gala’ during on-tree development, and storage. No correlation between AsA and maturity/ripening indices for ‘Braeburn’ or ‘Gala’ was apparent. Histochemical localization of fruit AsA showed a staining intensity consistent with the quantity analytically determined, and showed that AsA is diffusely distributed throughout the cortex in both cultivars during on-tree development. During storage, AsA was localized to the periphery of brown tissue in ‘Braeburn’ and to the coreline and cortex proximal to the peel in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Gala’ tissues. DPA decreased browning development during storage, however, no correlation between DPA treatment and AsA quantity in healthy or brown cortex tissue was observed. The results indicate AsA quantity alone is not an indicator of CO₂ sensitivity in these two cultivars.     

A new strain of Metschnikowia fructicola for postharvest control of Penicillium expansum and patulin accumulation on four cultivars of apple

The efficacy of three antagonistic yeasts, Metschnikowia pulcherrima strain MACH1, M. pulcherrima strain GS9, and Metschnikowia fructicola strain AL27, against Penicillium expansum and patulin accumulation was evaluated on apples stored at room (22 ± 1 °C for 7 days) and cold temperatures (1 ± 1 °C for 56 days). To increase the potential range of application of the biocontrol agents (BCAs), their efficacy was evaluated on four cultivars of apple, i.e. ‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Granny Smith’, ‘Red Chief’ and ‘Royal Gala’. AL27 was more effective than MACH1 and GS9 in the control of blue mold rot and in the reduction of patulin accumulation. The efficacy of AL27 was in most cases similar to the chemical control used, making the antagonist as competitive as chemical fungicides. In vitro experiments showed that AL27 reduced the conidial germination and germ tube length of P. expansum more than the other strains. The three BCAs were more effective in the control of blue mold rot on ‘Golden Delicious’ apples than on the other tested cultivars.     

Involvement of ethylene in browning development of controlled atmosphere-stored ‘Empire’ apple fruit

‘Empire’ apples [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] are susceptible to development of chilling injury, expressed as firm flesh browning, during controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. Because of this susceptibility, fruit are typically stored at 2–4 °C, but the incidence of flesh browning can be increased by 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment at these temperatures. In this study, flesh browning development has been investigated in relationship to ethylene production, internal ethylene concentration (IEC), flesh firmness, total phenolic concentrations, and the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POX) in the flesh tissues. Fruit were harvested from two orchards, either untreated or 1-MCP treated, and then stored under CA conditions at either 0.5 or 4 °C. Fruit were removed from storage at 1.5-month intervals for 10.5 months. 1-MCP treated apples were firmer than those of untreated apples, and had lower IECs, at all removals. Flesh browning incidence and severity developed earlier in 1-MCP-treated apples than untreated apples stored at either temperature. Total phenolic concentrations differed by orchard, but no major differences in concentrations were detected between untreated and 1-MCP treated apples. However, PPO activities were higher in the flesh of 1-MCP treated apples than untreated apples from both orchards and at both storage temperatures. POX activity was not consistently affected by 1-MCP treatment or storage temperature. Overall, our results suggest that inhibited ethylene production, either as a result of storage at 0.5 °C, or by treatment with 1-MCP at either temperature, may cause stress and damage to cells and result in higher PPO activity that leads to progressive flesh browning development during CA storage.     

Peach ripening: Segregation at harvest and postharvest flesh softening

The peach melting flesh cultivars ‘Ryan Sun’ and ‘Sweet September’ and the non-melting, ‘Kakamas’ were harvested according to their visually assessed ground color and divided into four, ripeness classes (M1, M2, M3, and M4). The following aspects were determined: fruit mass, soluble, solids content (SSC), ground skin hue angle (h°) and chroma (C*), the absorbance difference at 670 nm and, 720 nm index (I_AD), and the texture (fruit firmness measured with a needle, flesh firmness measured, with a 7.9 mm plunger, and uniaxial compression strength). Considering that in peaches, the h° of the, ground color and the I_AD are maturity indicators closely associated with ripeness and particularly with, flesh firmness, the texture parameters and their relationship to h° and I_AD were examined. The visual, assessment of the ground color was validated as the criterion for sorting the ripeness levels in peaches, as confirmed by h° and I_AD. Fruit firmness assessed with the needle and that with the 7.9 mm plunger, were highly correlated with each other and with the h° and I_AD, whereas the compression strength, exhibited less correlation with the optical properties of the skin. The non-melting ‘Kakamas’ showed, the poorest correlation between texture and h° and I_AD. Comparing both optical properties, the I_AD, showed a higher correlation with texture features than the h°. In a second experiment, fruit from the M3 ripeness class was maintained in a ripening chamber (20 °C, and 80% RH) until the flesh was softened for consumption. During postharvest, the first two principal, components of a principal component analysis explained 85% of the total variance of the texture, components and the optical properties of the skin. PC1 (67.2%) was defined positively by the texture, parameters and I_AD. The h° of the ground color was negatively related to all texture parameters, and, I_AD. PC2 (17.8%) was associated positively with the juice content, and this parameter proved to be, independent of all others.     

Genotypic differences in post-storage photosynthesis and leaf chloroplasts in response to ethylene and 1-methylcyclopropene in Aglaonema

This study investigated the effects of ethylene in storage and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) pretreatment on post-storage leaf senescence as measured by changes in photosynthesis and chloroplast degradation of two Aglaonema cultivars. Potted plants of ‘Chalit's Fantasy’ and ‘White Tip’ with or without 1-MCP treatment (600 nL L⁻¹ 1-MCP for 6 h) were exposed to 3.0 μL L⁻¹ ethylene, while being stored for 5 d at 16 °C in the dark, and then placed under an indoor environment for further observation. Plants that did not receive 1-MCP and ethylene served as controls. Ethylene did not affect the stomatal conductance in either cultivar. Ethylene reduced the net CO₂ assimilation rate and F_v/F_m (potential photochemical efficiency of photosystem II) in ‘White Tip’, but not in ‘Chalit's Fantasy’. Chloroplast number in a palisade or spongy mesophyll cell did not differ among treatments in ‘Chalit's Fantasy’. However, ethylene-treated ‘White Tip’ had fewer chloroplasts in the mesophyll cells, had more and larger plastoglobules in the chloroplasts, and had looser granal stacking with enlarged thylakoid lumens. ‘Chalit's Fantasy’ plants that were treated with 1-MCP before exposure to ethylene had higher net CO₂ assimilation rates and stomatal conductance than the control or plants that were exposed to ethylene without 1-MCP pretreatment. 1-MCP pretreatment mitigated the injurious effect of ethylene on ‘White Tip’ by increasing net CO₂ assimilation rate and F_v/F_m, and maintaining the quantity and structural integrity of chloroplasts.     

Physicochemical measurements in ‘Mondial Gala®’ apples stored at different atmospheres: Influence on consumer acceptability

Standard quality parameters, consumer acceptability, emission of volatile compounds and ethylene production of ‘Mondial Gala^®’ apples (Malus × domestica Borkh.) were determined in relation to storage atmosphere, storage period and shelf-life period. Fruit were harvested at the commercial date and stored in AIR (21 kPa O₂:0.03 kPa CO₂) or under three different controlled atmospheres (CAs): LO (2 kPa O₂:2 kPa CO₂), ULO1 (1 kPa O₂:1 kPa CO₂), or ULO2 (1 kPa O₂:2 kPa CO₂). Fruit samples were analysed after 12 and 26 weeks of storage plus 1 or 7 d at 20 °C.Apples stored in CA maintained better standard quality parameters than AIR-stored fruit. The volatile compounds that contributed most to the characteristic aroma of ‘Mondial Gala^®’ apples after storage were butyl, hexyl and 2-methylbutyl acetate, hexyl propanoate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl, butyl and hexyl 2-methylbutanoate. Data obtained from fruit analysis were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA). The apples most accepted by consumers showed the highest emission of ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl hexanoate, tert-butyl propanoate and ethyl acetate, in addition to the highest titratable acidity and firmness values.     

Control of blue mold of apple by combining controlled atmosphere,an antagonist mixture,and sodium bicarbonate

‘Golden Delicious’ apples were wound-inoculated with Penicillium expansum and treated with various combinations of sodium bicarbonate and two antagonists (Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Cryptococcus laurentii), and then stored in air or controlled atmosphere (CA = 1.4 kPa O₂ and 3 kPa CO₂) for 2 or 4 months at 1 °C. The antagonists survived and their populations increased during both air and CA storage. The antagonists alone reduced blue mold but were more effective when combined. Sodium bicarbonate tended to reduce lesion size when used with these antagonist, either when they were used alone or combined. Storage under CA conditions also increased the effectiveness of both antagonist, when used alone or in combination. The only treatment that completely eliminated P. expansum-incited decay was the combination of the two antagonists and sodium bicarbonate on fruit stored under CA conditions. The proper combination of alternative control measures can provide commercially acceptable long-term control of fruit decay and could help reduce our dependency on fungicides.     

Inhibition of browning on the surface of apple slices by short term exposure to nitric oxide (NO) gas

Freshly cut slices of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh cv. Granny Smith) were fumigated with nitric oxide (NO) gas at concentrations between 1 and 500 μl l⁻¹ in air at 20 °C for up to 6 h followed by storage at 0, 5, 10 and 20 °C in air. Exposure to nitric oxide delayed the onset of browning on the apple surface with the most effective treatment being fumigation with 10 μl l⁻¹ NO for 1 h. While nitric oxide inhibited browning in slices held at all temperatures, it was relatively more effective as the storage temperature was reduced with the extension in postharvest life over the respective untreated slices increasing from about 40% at 20 °C to about 70% at 0 °C. In a smaller study on ‘Royal Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Sundowner’, ‘Fuji’ and ‘Red Delicious’ slices stored at 10 °C, 10 μl l⁻¹ NO for 1 h was found to be effective in inhibiting surface browning in all cultivars.     

Effects of repeated 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments on ripening and superficial scald of ‘Cortland’ and ‘Delicious’ apples

Postharvest 1-MCP can maintain fruit quality and inhibit development of superficial scald, a physiological storage disorder found in apple fruit, but the extent of the inhibition can vary by cultivar. In this study, we investigated whether multiple applications of 1-MCP, which are now permitted by a label modification of the commercial 1-MCP product, SmartFresh™, might improve scald control. ‘Cortland’ and ‘Delicious’ apples were untreated, treated on the day of harvest with the antioxidant inhibitor of scald, diphenylamine (DPA), or with 1 μL L⁻¹ 1-MCP at different intervals after harvest. Treatment times (days) were 1, 4, 7, 1 + 4, 4 + 7, 1 + 4 + 7, 7 + 14, 7 + 28, 7 + 42, and 7 + 84. Internal ethylene concentrations (IECs), flesh firmness, and accumulations of α-farnesene and conjugated trienols (CTols) were measured at harvest, at the time of treatment, and at intervals during air storage at 0.5 °C for up to 36 weeks. Scald was completely inhibited by DPA and all 1-MCP treatments in ‘Delicious’. However, effective control of scald in ‘Cortland’ was obtained with 1-MCP treatments within the first 4 days of harvest, either alone or in combination. Scald control with delayed 1-MCP treatments resulted in poorer scald control that was comparable to that obtained with DPA. IECs and α-farnesene accumulation were similar in untreated and DPA treated fruit, but inhibited by 1-MCP. However, differences among 1-MCP treatments became more evident with increasing storage periods. Inhibition of IECs and α-farnesene accumulation was greater in fruit treated on days 1, 4, 1 + 4, 4 + 7, 1 + 4 + 7, than on day 7 alone. A second application of 1-MCP on day 14 to fruit treated on day 7 increased inhibition of IECs, α-farnesene and CTol accumulations, but increasing delays before the second 1-MCP treatment resulted in progressively less inhibition of these factors. Similar effects of treatment on IECs, α-farnesene and CTol accumulations were found for both cultivars, even though no scald was detected in treated ‘Delicious’ apples. The results indicate that initial 1-MCP treatments should be applied to faster ripening cultivars such as ‘Cortland’ within a few days of harvest.     

Efficacy of 1-MCP treatment in tomato fruit: 1. Duration and concentration of 1-MCP treatment to gain an effective delay of postharvest ripening

‘Raf’ tomato fruit were harvested at the mature-green stage and treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at 0.5 (for 3, 6, 12 or 24 h) or 1 μl l⁻¹ for 3 or 6 h. Fruit were stored at 10 °C for 7 days and a further 4 days at 20 °C for a shelf life period. All 1-MCP treatments reduced both ethylene production and respiration rate and in turn retarded the changes in parameters related to fruit ripening, such as fruit softening, colour (a^*) change, and increase in ripening index (TSS/TA ratio). These effects were significantly higher when 1-MCP was applied at 0.5 μl l⁻¹ for 24 h. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from 1-MCP, this treatment would be the most suitable for commercial purposes.     

Volatile profiles of ripening West Indian and Guatemalan-West Indian avocado cultivars as affected by aqueous 1-methylcyclopropene

Separate experiments were conducted with three major commercial avocado (Persea americana Mill.) cultivars grown in Florida: ‘Simmonds’ (early-season, West Indian race); ‘Booth 7’ (mid-season, Guatemalan-West Indian hybrid); and ‘Monroe’ (late-season, Guatemalan-West Indian hybrid). Fruit were harvested at preclimacteric stage and left untreated (Control) or treated 24 h after harvest with aqueous 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at 1.39 (treatment M1) or 2.77 μmol L⁻¹ a.i. (treatment M2) (75 or 150 μg L⁻¹) for 1 min at 20 °C. Whole fruit ripening was monitored at 20 °C/92% ± 3% R.H. and based on whole fruit firmness, respiration and ethylene evolution. Fruit volatiles were assessed at preclimacteric (24 h after harvest), mid-ripe (half of initial fruit firmness) and ripe maturity stages, from 100 g of chopped pulp using a purge and trap system. Untreated, firmer fruit ‘Monroe’ (268 N at harvest) ripened within 12 d of harvest while softer fruit ‘Simmonds’ (118 N) ripened within only 6 d. 1-MCP treatment extended ripening time from 33% (M1) to 83% (M2). All fruit softened normally, indicating the potential benefits of aqueous 1-MCP as a postharvest treatment for avocado when applied at these concentrations. Volatile profiles differed among the three cultivars with several compounds detected in only one cultivar, results that may contribute to a potential identification of the origin of the cultivar based on fruit volatile composition. The West Indian cultivar ‘Simmonds’ had much higher emission of hexanal (preclimacteric fruit) and cis-3-hexenal and cis-3-hexen-1-ol (ripe fruit) than the Guatemalan-West Indian hybrids ‘Booth 7’ and ‘Monroe’. On the other hand, these latter hybrids had much higher levels of alkanes than ‘Simmonds’. Treatment with 1-MCP increased emissions of alkanes during ripening of ‘Booth 7’ and ‘Monroe’. Total volatiles of avocado decreased during ripening mainly due to the significant reduction of sesquiterpenes, the main group of volatiles in all cultivars at harvest (‘Simmonds’, 53%; ‘Booth 7’, 78%; ‘Monroe’, 66%). β-Caryophyllene was the major compound at harvest, but decreased to less than 2% in ripe fruit, at which point most sesquiterpenes were not detected. Among the 10 sesquiterpenes commonly found in the avocado cultivars in this study, only α-Copaene had significantly higher emissions in mid-ripe fruit treated with the higher concentration of 1-MCP (2.77 μmol L⁻¹ a.i.), suggesting that ethylene participates in the regulation of this sesquiterpene.     

Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on softening of fresh-cut kiwifruit,mango and persimmon slices

Ethylene production is enhanced by wounding during fresh-cut processing and the accumulation of this gas within the packages of fresh-cut fruit can be detrimental to their quality and shelf-life. The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an ethylene action blocker, applied before or after processing, on the quality of fresh-cut kiwifruit, mangoes and persimmons was evaluated during storage at 5 °C. Fresh-cut ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit slices softened at a slower rate and their ethylene production rate was decreased in response to 1-MCP application (1 μL L⁻¹ for 6 h at 10 °C) either before or after processing. A 2-min dip in 0.09 M (1%, w/v) CaCl₂ synergistically increased the effect of 1-MCP on firmness retention and 1-MCP did not affect the color (L* value) of fresh-cut kiwifruit slices. Softening and browning (decreasing L* value) were delayed when 1-MCP was applied directly on fresh-cut ‘Kent’ and ‘Keitt’ mango slices. Respiration rate of mango slices was not influenced by 1-MCP whereas the ethylene production was affected only towards the end of their shelf-life. Fresh-cut ‘Fuyu’ persimmons treated with 1-MCP after processing presented higher ethylene production rate, slower softening rate and slower darkening of color (decrease in L* value), whereas the respiration rate was not affected.     

NIR spectroscopy for the optimization of postharvest apple management

Apples can be stored for long time under controlled temperature and atmosphere conditions, and therefore, non-destructive and rapid tools are required to assess fruit quality and to monitor changes during the postharvest period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of NIR spectroscopy to optimize postharvest apple management and to follow changes in fruit quality during storage. An FT-NIR system operating in diffuse reflectance in the range 12,500–3600 cm⁻¹ was used to evaluate the physico-chemical (dry matter, soluble solids, colour and firmness) and some nutraceutical characteristics (total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity) of ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, which were stored for about six months at 1 °C in controlled atmosphere, over two subsequent years. Spectral data were elaborated by PLS regression and LDA classification techniques. Good correlation models between spectral data and chemical and physical parameters were obtained for soluble solids, a* colour coordinate and firmness (0.81 < R² < 0.90 in calibration and 0.79 < R² < 0.89 in cross validation). Even higher correlation values (0.89 < R² < 0.95 in calibration and 0.86 < R² < 0.92 in cross validation) were obtained for indexes correlated to the antioxidant capacity of apples. The classification technique Linear Discriminant Analysis was applied to spectral data, in order to discriminate apples on the basis of storage time. Average correct classification was higher than 93% in validation and close to 100% in calibration, indicating high potential of NIR spectroscopy for the estimation of storage time of apple lots.