QUALITY CHANGES OF FRESH-CUT HONEYDEW MELONS DURING CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE

摘要

Quality, physiology, and microbial population were monitored with honeydew cubes held in air or controlled atmosphere (CA) of 2% 02+ 10% CO2 at 5C and 4%02+ 10% CO2 at 10C. The CA was beneficial in maintaining quality of honeydew cubes. Quality deteriorated rapidly with concomitant increase in respiration rate during the latter half of the 6-day at 10C or 10-day at 5C shelf-life. The shear force of samples was maintained by CA at 10C, but the visual quality was poor when that benefit was still noticeable. At 5C, an effect ofCA was not noted because the low temperature did not allow the shear force to decrease. The bacterial population was less on honeydew cubes held in CA than in air. Modified atmosphere with these gas mixtures would be beneficial in maintaining quality and retarding microbial growth on honeydew cubes, but strict temperature control is essential to avoid anaerobic respiration.