Carbon Dioxide Injury and Market Quality of Lettuce Held in Controlled Atmospheres1
Open Access
- 1 January 1971
- journal article
- Published by American Society for Horticultural Science in Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science
- Vol. 96 (1) , 27-31
- https://doi.org/10.21273/jashs.96.1.27
Abstract
Storage atmospheres with 2-1/2, 5 or 10% CO2 caused a physiological injury to lettuce almost identical to the brown stain observed in lettuce from rail cars and trailers in which CO2 concentrations exceeded 2% at destination. Carbon dioxide injury, or brown stain, was not always evident when lettuce was removed from the controlled atmosphere, after 7 days at 38°F, but became more evident during a subsequent 4 days at 50° in air. About 16% of the heads held at 2–1/2% CO2 developed brown stain while 38% and 86% of the heads developed the disorder in lots held at 5% and 10% CO2, respectively. Significantly more heads developed brown stain when the CO2 was combined with 3% oxygen than when combined with 21% Ο2 Decay, pink rib, and tipburn were not significantly influenced by the O2 or CO2 level. Increased levels of CO2 reduced the severity of butt discoloration in lettuce examined immediately after storage in the controlled atmosphere, but after an additional 4 days at 50°F in air, the differences were not evident. The danger of physiological injury from 2-1/2 to 10% CO2 during storage or shipping outweighs the small improvement in butt color and general appearance.Keywords
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