Cultivar differences in the influence of harvest date and cold storage on the free sugars and acids contents, and on the eating quality of apples

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Abstract
During the 15-day period around the commercial harvest date of Jonagold apples the total free sugars content did not change, but with later harvest the percentage of sucrose increased from 27 to 30% and that of sorbitol from 7 to 10% but glucose content decreased from 29 to 24%. In Cox’s Orange Pippin apples both the total free sugars content and their distribution did not change with the change of harvest date. Delaying the harvest date did not cause a decrease of free acidity in either cultivar. During cold storage at 1°C (not CA) of Jonagold apples the total free sugars content did not change, but the percentage of sucrose decreased from 27 to 19%, fructose increased from 37 to 41% and glucose from 29 to 32%. During storage at 3.5°C (not CA) of Cox’s Orange Pippin apples the total free sugars content increased but the proportions of the sugars did not change. During cold storage the rate of decrease of free acidity was much less in Jonagold than in Cox’s Orange Pippin, and the eating quality declined more slowly in Jonagold than in Cox’s Orange Pippin.