Search

The uneven maturity and severe internal rot of kiwifruit were rapidly accelerated when transferred to room temperature after long‐term controlled atmosphere storage. In this study, the effects of ethrel combined with different flow microcirculation of antiseptic mediums on the shelf‐life quality of "Qinmei" kiwifruit stored at 20°C were evaluated. Results indicated that the combined aerosolization application of 500 mg/L natamycin, 7.5% w/w H2O2 and 0.5 mg/L atomized ozone could control the decay incidence and respiratory rate of ethrel‐treated kiwifruit. Further studies indicated that ethrel and O3 treatment greatly increased the activities of chitinase, β‐1,3‐glucanase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase and produced higher ascorbic acid levels (151.16 mg·100 g−1/FW) to enhance disease‐resistant of kiwifruit. This treatment could inhibit the activity of polyphenol oxidase and delay the process of membrane lipid peroxidation, contributing to preserving the integrity of cell structures well. Moreover, ethrel + O3 treatment could effectively reduce ethylene production (3.12 μl/kg/h) to delay the ripening and senescence of fruit stored at 20°C. More importantly, this treatment exhibited the lowest contents of decay incidence (9.75%), total bacterial count (4.07 log cfu/g), and yeasts and molds (4.18 log cfu/g), and thus extended the shelf life for up to 16 days. Therefore, a combination of ethrel and ozone is a potentially effective method for the maintenance of the shelf‐life properties of kiwifruit after long‐term cold storage. Novelty impact statement: In this study, the treatment of ethrel‐treated with aerosolized ozone of flow microcirculation of 0.5 mg/L O3 could effectively suppress ripening and senescence, enhance antioxidant capacity and disease resistance, reduce the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation, and considerably preserve the integrity of cell structures, which contributed to preventing the penetration of pathogens, retarding the decay incidence, and delaying the shelf‐life quality deterioration of kiwifruit transferred to room temperature after long‐term controlled atmosphere storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The postharvest decay of durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) increases rapidly when the storage time is extended, which seriously limits the commercial value. In this research, the effects of appropriate periodical SO2 fumigation and different CO2‐enriched atmospheres (3% O2 + 10%–13%, 14%–17%, or 18%–21% CO2) on the storage quality of durian stored at 14°C were investigated. Results showed that SO2 fumigation in combination with enriched CO2 atmosphere (14%–17%) could maintain firmness (16.37 N), retard weight loss (10.24%), reduce decay rate (11%), and inhibit the production of ethylene (9.2 μl kg−1 h−1) and malondialdehyde (12.10 μmol/g). Moreover, the treatment consolidated the disease resistance of durian by, first, enhancing peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and, second, by restraining polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, which helped to maintain the cell integrity structures. More importantly, this treatment retained a high sensory score (41.35) and extended the storage life up to 60 days. Therefore, a combination of 1,500 mg/L SO2 fumigation and controlled atmosphere storage (3% O2 + 14%–17% CO2) was the more effective method to delay maturation and senescence and improve the storage quality of durian. Novelty impact statement: Durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) is susceptible to rapid water loss, softening, browning, and chemical deterioration after harvest, which greatly limits the storage quality and commercial value of fruits. Automatic periodical SO2 fumigation of 1,500 mg/L in conjunction with CO2‐enriched controlled atmosphere storage (3% O2 + 14%–17% CO2) will be a promising postharvest strategy to reduce decay and extend the storage life of fresh durian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizome rot and quality deterioration of tender ginger after harvest were the restricting factors of tender ginger storage quality. In this research, cold storage with SO2 fumigation function was designed and the effects of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 ml L−1 SO2 fumigation every 15 d on the storage quality of tender ginger was investigated. The improved cold storage and supporting equipment can automatically fill and remove SO2 gas into the storage room, and keep the humidity stable at 92%–95% during storage. Experimental results showed that automatic periodical SO2 fumigation of tender ginger with 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 every 15 d can effectively maintain firmness (~56%), retard weight loss (~22%), reduce decay rate (~20%), and inhibit the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) content (~26%). Meanwhile, the 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 treatment enhanced the disease resistance of tender ginger by enhancing phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity (~8%) and inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity (~25%), and the integrity of tissue structure was also well maintained. More importantly, the SO2 residue in the tender ginger treated with the 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 completely met the FDA food safety standard on the 50 d. Therefore, the combination of cold storage structure innovation and 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 periodical fumigation is more effective at improving the storage quality of tender ginger. Practical applications: Automatic periodical SO2 fumigation showed great potential application in maintaining the storage quality of ginger after harvest. The activity levels of defense enzymes were significantly increased and the storage quality of tender ginger was well maintained. Automatic periodical fumigation of tender ginger with 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 is a simple, safe, low cost, and convenient method to improve the storage quality of tender ginger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]