Decay control and fungicide residues in citrus fruits seal‐packed in a high‐density polyethylene film

摘要

AbstractThe effects of a new packaging method of sealing individual fruits in film of highdensity polyethylene (HDPE), on decay control and the residue levels of various fungicides applied to the fruit, were investigated with four different citrus cultivars. HDPE seal‐packaging by itself reduced the decay of Marsh grapefruit but slightly enhanced the decay of Valencia orange fruit in comparison with conventionally handled fruit. Seal‐packaging of individual fruit resulted in much less decay than sealing a whole carton of fruit together. The fungicides imazalil,sec‐butylamine, 2‐phenylphenol, benomyl and thiabendazole markedly reduced the decay of sealed fruit in all cultivars of citrus fruits tested. Residue levels in treated fruit were below the tolerances permitted. The new method of packaging had no effect on the residue levels of benomyl, 2‐phenyl‐phenol and thiabendazole in the fruit; neither did it affect the extent of absorption of these fungicides into the fruit. Only the volatile fungicide sec‐butylamine was found at a higher level (73 higher in the packaged fruit compared with conventionally t