Effects of precooling and modified atmosphere packaging on the fruit quality changes of mid-season nectarines during short-term storage and marketing

摘要

To prolong the shelf life and to maintain marketable quality of mid-season 'Cheonhong' nectarines, the fruits were precooled and briefly stored in the cold storage and a study of simulated marketing at ambient temperature was carried out. Fruits were harvested at commercial maturity, precooled to 4degC, packaged in 30 #mu#m polyethylene film bags, and then stored at 0degC for 3 and 7 days followed by 3-day simulated marketing at ambient temperature. When fruits were stored under refrigerated conditions, precooling effects on the quality appeared to be minimum. Precooling effects were significant only on flesh firmness in non-packaged fruits immediately after 3-day storage. Thereafter, precooling effects were in significant on the quality during the marketing period and after extended storage. In contrast, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) effectively controlled weight loss maintaining flesh firmness and extractable juice content during 7-day cold storage and subsequent 3-day marketing period. Continuous MAP; however, resulted in the remarkable loss of soluble solids and acidity with the development of off-flavour during a 3-day simulated marketing period. Such poststorage changes seemed to be due to rapid decreases in oxygen and elevation of carbon dioxide levels inside the packages at ambient temperature. The results indicated the need of cold-chain system to maintain adequate atmospheric composition inside MAP. Perforation treatment on the packages at the removal from the cold store could be an alternative to avoid adverse effects from the MAP.