Rogério de Oliveira Anese

Respiratory quotient: innovative method for monitoring ‘Royal Gala’ apple storage in a dynamic controlled atmosphere

Apples (Malus domestica, Borkh.) which are not stored at low temperature or in a properly controlled atmosphere (CA) may have a high metabolic rate during the postharvest stage resulting in losses in quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of ‘Royal Gala’ apple fruit stored in accordance with a new method of dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA).The respiratory quotient (RQ) was monitored at two temperatures which were then compared using a commercially available technology based on chlorophyll fluorescence DCA (DCA-CF) and static CA. Ethylene production and respiration rates were lower in apples stored in DCA than in CA, as a result of lower 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase activity, especially in apples stored in DCA-RQ2. Flesh firmness of apples stored in DCA did not differ from those stored in CA. Apples stored at 1 °C had less flesh breakdown occurrence and a high percentage of healthy fruit. ‘Royal Gala’ stored at DCA-RQ2 had less flesh breakdown than apples stored in CA; however, the apples stored in DCA-CF did not differ from those stored in DCA-RQ2 and CA. Apples stored at the highest RQ value (6 and 4), especially at 0.5 °C, had low O2 injury occurrence after storage. However the increase in temperature to 1.0 °C, reduced the occurrence of this disorder. Therefore, storage in DCA-RQ2 at 1 °C or DCA-CF at 0.5 °C are the recommendations of preference for ensuring maintenance of quality in ‘Royal Gala’ apples after eight months of storage.

Estresse inicial por baixo oxigênio seguido do armazenamento em atmosfera controlada de maçãs 'Royal Gala'

The aim of this work was to evaluate the application of initial low oxygen stress and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on quality maintenance of Royal Gala apples, when stored in a controlled atmosphere (CA). In order to do this, a lot of 50 % of the fruit was treated with 1-MCP (625 ppb) and one half of these, together with half of the fruit which did not receive the application of 1-MCP, were subjected to low oxygen stress (0.3 kPa for seven days) before being stored for seven months at 0.5 °C under the following CA conditions: 1.2 kPa O 2 + 2.0 kPa CO 2 ; 1.0 kPa O 2 + 2.0 kPa CO 2 ; 0.8 kPa O 2 + 1.0 kPa CO 2 ; 0.6 kPa O 2 + 1.0 kPa CO 2 e 0.5 kPa O 2 + 1.0 kPa CO 2 . After storage, and following a further seven days at 20 °C, analyses of fruit quality were carried out. The results show that initial low oxygen stress is not effective in maintaining quality, beyond increasing the occurrence of physiological disorders and decay. There was no big difference in the efficiency of the CA conditions used in this study on the conservation of fruit quality. The application of 1-MCP did not improve quality maintenance in fruit stored under ultralow oxygen, as seen at the lowest partial pressures (<1.0 kPa) used in this work.

'Laetitia' plums stored in controlled atmosphere and active modified atmosphere packing with ethylene management

ABSTRACT - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of controlled atmosphere (CA) and active modified atmosphere packing (MAP) [LDPE film (40 µm), with two perforations (diameter = 1.0 mm) with ethylene management, on quality preservation of ‘Laetitia’ plums. The cold storage (60 days at 0.5±0.1oC) treatments evaluated were: stored atmosphere (SA; 21.0 kPa O 2 + <0.03 kPa CO 2 ); MAP; MAP + low ethylene (LE); CA; and CA + treatment with 1-MCP (1,0 μL L -1 ). The partial pressures of O 2 + CO 2 (kPa) were 1.0 + 1.0and 2.5 + <0.1, in CA and MAP, respectively. Fruits stored in CA, regardless of ethylene removal, showed ripening delay compared to fruit in CS. However, the best preservation of flesh texture and titratable acidity was achieved in CA + 1-MCP. The incidences of decay, skin cracking and flesh browning were not different between treatments. Fruits stored in MAP + LE and CA + 1-MCP had lower internal darkening and higher acceptability for color and taste compared to fruit stored in SA.Index terms: Prunus salicina, flesh browning, postharvest, quality, 1-MCP.

QUALITY PRESERVATION OF ‘LAETITIA’ PLUMS IN ACTIVE MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE

Recent studies have shown that passive modified atmosphere storage (MA) delays the ripening of ‘Laetitia’ plums but it increases the incidence of internal browning in comparison to cold storage (CS), possibly due to high CO2 and/or ethylene accumulation inside the package. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of active MA conditions [LDPE film (40 μm)] with CO2 absorber combined with low ethylene (LE) on ripening and quality preservation of ‘Laetitia’ plums during storage at 0.5oC±0.1oC and RH of 96%±2%. The treatments evaluated were cold storage (CS; 21.0 kPa O2 + <0.03 kPa CO2); nonperforated MA with CO2 absorber; non-perforated MA with CO2 absorber and LE; perforated MA (with two perforations with diameter = 0.5 mm) with CO2 absorber; and perforated MA with CO2 absorber and LE. The partial pressures of O2 + CO2 (kPa) were 1.2 + <0.1 and 2.8 + <0.1, in non-perforated and perforated MA, respectively. Active MA, mainly non-perforated package, with CO2 absorber and LE, delayed fruit ripening, but did not reduce the incidence of internal breakdown in ‘Laetitia’ plums cold stored for 60 days. Fruits in active MA, with perforated or non-perforated package, with CO2 absorber and LE, showed lower intensity of internal breakdown than CS.

Aplicação de 1-metilciclopropeno, estresse inicial com baixo oxigênio e armazenamento em ultrabaixo oxigênio na qualidade de maçã Fuji

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of 1-MCP application in combination with initial low oxygen stress and storage in controlled atmosphere with ultra-low oxygen on Fuji apple quality preservation. The evaluated treatments consisted of 1-MCP application (with or without 1000nL L-1) combined with five levels of the factor storage condition (without initial stress + 0.6kPa O2, 1 stress + 0.6kPa O2, 1 stress + 0.8kPa O2, 2 stresses + 0.6kPa O2 and without initial stress + 1.0kPa O2). Initial low oxygen stress was applied by 14 days at 0.2kPa O2. The fruits were stored in these conditions for eight months at -0.5±0.2°C and relative humidity of 96±1%, followed by seven days at 20±1°C. In all treatments, the CO2 was kept below 0.5kPa. The storage without initial low oxygen stress associated with 1.0kPa or 0.6kPa O2 maintained the pulp firmer and with the higher titratable acidity, moreover provided a lower incidence of decay after storage during eight months and shelf life at 20°C. The 1-MCP provided lower activity of ACC oxidase enzyme, however, did not reduces ethylene production and failed to delay the loss of firmness and the control decay. Initial stress of 14 days with 0.2kPa O2 reduced the conservation of Fuji apples.

Aminoethoxyvinylglycine: isolated and combined with other growth regulators on quality of ‘Brookfield’ apples after storage

Growth regulators are used in the production of apples worldwide, especially to extend the harvest period and maintain postharvest quality. This study aimed to investigate the effects of applying aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) in isolation as well as in combination with other growth regulators and postharvest techniques on the harvest quality and storage potential of ‘Brookfield’ apples (Malus domestica), a ‘Gala’ strain. Fruit receiving AVG only had the highest starch content and the highest titratable acidity at harvest. After 8 months of storage, the AVG + 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene) and AVG + ABS (ethylene absorption) conserved higher flesh firmness than to all the other treatments. Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) application induced ACC oxidase enzyme activity at harvest, but not after storage. AVG application, with or without the aid of another technique, did not decrease the red skin color of ‘Brookfield’ apples. Low mealiness and a high healthy fruit percentage was obtained when the fruits were submitted to pre-harvest AVG application combined with NAA, 1-MCP and ABS. Internal carbon dioxide had an inverse correlation with the quantity of healthy fruit and was directly correlated with mealiness.