A comparative study was carried out on response of blood oranges (cv. Tarocco, Moro, Sanguinello and Doppio Sanguigno) to hot moist fruit fly disinfestation at 44°C or 46°C inside the fruit for 100 and 50 min respectively. Fruit were then stored at 8°C and 90-95% relative humidity (RH) for 2 weeks plus one additional week at 20°C and 75% RH. Fruit weight loss was only slightly affected by heat treatments in 'Tarocco' and 'Moro' oranges while in 'Doppio Sanguigno' and 'Sanguinello' it increased remarkably. Decay was not affected by heat treatments in Moro but was promoted in the other cultivars, especially in 'Doppio Sanguigno', with minimal differences due to treatment type. Heat treatments did not induce visible damage to the fruit, but caused a decrease in fruit firmness, a relevant loss in ascorbic acid concentration and negatively affected organoleptic acceptance (flavour and taste), presumably because of the abnormal accumulation of ethanol and acetaldehyde in the juice.
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