Extending Raspberry Shelf Life and Maintaining Postharvest Quality with CO<sub>2</sub> Atmospheres
Raspberry (<i>Rubus idaeus</i> L.) fruit are known for their extremely short shelf life. Decay, leakiness, and loss of firmness are the most common limiting factors contributing to their short storage life. However, storage in elevated CO<sub>2</sub> and reduced O<sub>2...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-10-01
|
| Series: | Horticulturae |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/10/1092 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Raspberry (<i>Rubus idaeus</i> L.) fruit are known for their extremely short shelf life. Decay, leakiness, and loss of firmness are the most common limiting factors contributing to their short storage life. However, storage in elevated CO<sub>2</sub> and reduced O<sub>2</sub> atmospheres can delay senescence in fruit by reducing softening, respiration and ethylene production rates, and pathogen growth. In this study, raspberries were exposed to four different CO<sub>2</sub> atmospheres—15 kPa CO<sub>2</sub> and 6 kPa O<sub>2</sub> (15 kPa); 8 kPa CO<sub>2</sub> and 13 kPa O<sub>2</sub> (8 kPa); 5 kPa CO<sub>2</sub> and 16 kPa O<sub>2</sub> (5 kPa); or 0.03 kPa CO<sub>2</sub> and 21 kPa O<sub>2</sub> (0.03 kPa)—and were evaluated for their postharvest quality periodically during two weeks of storage in 2020 and 2021. Raspberry fruits kept in a 15 kPa CO<sub>2</sub> atmosphere followed by 8 kPa CO<sub>2</sub> had higher firmness, brighter red color, and the least fungal decay or leakiness. In all atmospheres, the total anthocyanin content increased over time, although the rate of increase was slowed by high CO<sub>2</sub>. The raspberries’ visual attributes deteriorated over time in all atmospheres, but high CO<sub>2</sub> atmospheres slowed the rate of deterioration. After five days, the quality of air-stored raspberries was significantly degraded, while the raspberries stored in elevated CO<sub>2</sub> maintained good quality for up to ten days. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2311-7524 |