CHANGES IN ‘DELICIOUS’ APPLE BROWNING AND SOFTENING DURING CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
High CO2 conditions offered no advantage over normal CA storage in terms of reduced ‘Delicious’ apple browning or softening during a 28 week storage period. After approximately 7–14 weeks in CA storage, ‘Delicious’ apples showed significant losses in PPO activity, browning tendency and firmness. Electrolyte leakage reached a maximum at 11.5 weeks and declined, while total phenolics remained fairly constant. The changes observed may indicate a loss in membrane integrity and decompartmentalization after 7–14 weeks of storage, which may in turn allow for increased enzymatic browning. Polygalacturonase activity was only detectable at harvest. Holding apples for additional time in air following removal from CA storage appears to accelerate changes in these characteristics.