Forced air cooling and passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of apricots
I.T. Agar , S. Paydas and O. Buyukalaca
Proceedings of 26th International Horticultural Congress. Volume of Abstract . Toronto, Canada, 11-17 August, 2002. Abstract S09-P-97. pp. 249.
2002
บทคัดย่อ
Postharvest quality and physiology of apricots (Prunus armeniaca cv. ‘Precoce de Tyrinthe’) was studied after forced-air cooling (FAC) and passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Apricots were harvested at 2 maturity stages: minimum maturity (MI : 9% SSC, orange color except suture), or export harvest maturity (Mil: 10% SSC, completely orange color). Within a few hours after harvest, half of the fruits of each maturity stage were a) placed in a cold room at 0-1 0C and 90% RH for room cooling, or b) forced-air cooled at 600 cfm. All apricots were packed in MAP and stored at 0 0C for 7 d and than transferred to 20 0C (shelf-life) for up to 8 d. Another group of apricots were placed at 20 0C right after harvest to observe the shelf-life. Apricots were analyzed for fruit firmness, SSC, titratable acidity, color (hue angle), respiration, weight loss and evaluated for taste. Apricots from the two maturity stages benefited from forced-air cooling (FAC) at 0 0C. FAC increased the shelf-life and appearance of apricots from MI and MI when compared to room cooling at 0 0C. The cooling time of forced-air cooled apricots ranged between 86 min. (fastest) to 225 min. (slowest) compared to 431 min. recorded during. Apricots could be forced-air cooled to 0 0C and packed in MAP and then transported for a period of 7 d in a refrigerated truck and still be able to maintain their quality even after additional 6-8 d shelf life at 20 0C.