Prevention of Red Blotch in Degreened Lemon Fruit

Mature green lemon (Citrus limon Burm.) fruits are degreened commercially with ethylene to enhance yellow color development and improve marketing quality. This treatment often results in the development of a peel disorder called red blotch, a superficial reddish-brown discoloration, which may cover most of the fruit peel. We found that degreening at 30°C, instead of the recommended temperature of 25°, eliminated the disorder. Similarly, a predegreening treatment of dipping the fruit in the antioxidant ethoxyquin (“Stop Scald”) prevented red blotch development. The high temperature and the antioxidant may act on oxidative enzyme systems, which are apparently causative factors of the disorder.