Storage response of cactus pear fruit following hot water brushing (original) (raw)
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Acta Horticulturae, 2015
Cactus pears, as many fruits and vegetables of tropical origin, are susceptible to chilling injury when stored at temperatures below 10-12°C. To enhance low temperature tolerance of sensitive commodities, different postharvest treatments, like intermittent warming, hot water dip, high temperature conditioning, film wrapping, have been developed. Objective of this experiment was to assess the impact of a prestorage high temperature conditioning treatment at 38°C for 36 h either at high (95-100%) (HTHH) or low (50-60% RH) humidity (HTLH) on cactus pear 'Gialla' stored at 5°C for 4 weeks plus one week at 20°C to simulate marketing conditions (SMC). Both heat treatments reduced decay, and chilling injury, which developed mainly at the end of the week of SMC at 20°C as pitting, scald and browning of the peel. Heat treatments also reduced weight loss, but HTHH was more effective than HTLH. The appearance of heated fruit was better than control fruit over storage, and difference would have been greater had control decayed fruit for chilling injury evaluated for overall appearance. In conclusion, both heat treatments reduced weight losses, decay, chilling injury and preserved overall appearance during cold storage and SMC with HTLH being more effective than HTHH in reducing decay.
Communications in agricultural and applied biological sciences, 2012
Objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of prestorage dip treatments at 20 degrees C or 50 degrees C alone or with sodium carbonate (SC) and soy lecithin (LEC), either individually or in combination, on weight losses, peel disorders, overall appearance and decay of cactus pears. Fruits were subjected to a simulated Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) disinfestation by cold quarantine at 2 degrees C for 21 days followed by one week of shelf-life at 20 degrees C. Hot water alone was very effective in reducing peel disorders and decay both during cold storage and shelf-life. SC applied at 20 degrees C showed a weak control of decay and chilling injury, while its effectiveness significantly increased when the solution temperature was set to 50 degrees C. LEC was more effective in preserving freshness during cold storage, but after shelf-life decay incidence in fruit dipped in LEC at 20 degrees C or 50 degrees C was higher than in those dipped in water at 20 degrees C or 50 degre...
Chilling injury (CI) is a critical physiological disorder which limits the storability of cactus pear fruit Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. The effects of pre-storage salicylic acid (SA) treatment at different concentrations (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mM) and storage temperatures (2, 5 and 8°C) on CI and cactus fruit quality were examined. The results showed that salicylic acid application, especially at higher concentration (2.0 mM), significantly decreased the CI compared to control. The CI occurred mainly at 2°C, slightly at 5°C specifically in the control and was eliminated at 8°C. The CI significantly increased as the storage period prolonged. Weight loss percentage was lower at 1.5 and 2.0 mM SA treatments than in the other treatments and was greater at higher temperature and longer storage period. Decay percentage was lower at 1.5 mM SA treatment than in the other treatments, except for the 2.0 mM SA treatment. Decay was not affected by storage temperature but was higher at longer storage period. Fruit firmness was not affected by either SA or storage temperature and period. Total soluble solids (TSS) concentration was not affected by SA treatment but was lower in fruit stored at 8°C than those stored at 2 and 5°C. TSS showed no significant changes during 30 days of storage and was close to the initial value but decreased after 40 days. Acidity was not affected either by SA treatment or storage temperature but significantly decreased after 40 days and was lower than the initial value. The pH of fruit juice was not affected by SA treatment but was higher in fruit stored at 5°C than in those stored at 2 and 8°C. The pH was higher after 40 days of storage than the other storage periods and slightly higher than the initial value. Vitamin C concentration was not affected by the SA treatment but was lower in fruit stored at 2°C than in those stored at 5 and 8°C. Vitamin C slightly changed during storage compared to the initial value. It was concluded that pre-storage SA treatment inhibited chilling injury and improved storability of cactus fruit.
Acta horticulturae, 2015
Objective of this experiment was to assess the effectiveness of prestorage and poststorage treatments with fludioxonil (FDL) alone or in combination with sodium bicarbonate (SBC), either at room temperature (20°C) or at 50°C, to control postharvest decay of cactus pear fruit. Cactus pears cv Gialla of the first crop were dipped for 120 s in SBC (2%) or FDL at 20 or 50°C dissolved in water. FDL was used at 600 mg/L at 20°C or 300 mg/L at 50°C. After 4 weeks of storage at 5°C and 90-95% RH fruit were inspected for soft rot incidence, peel disorders, overall appearance and weight loss. Fruit free of soft rots were then dipped for 120 s in water at 50°C or in FDL emulsion either at 20°C (300 mg/L) or 50°C (150 mg/L) and transferred to 20°C and 60-65% RH for one more week to simulated marketing conditions (SMC). All of hot water (50°C) treatments reduced decay incidence at the end of cold storage, but the one with FDL was more effective. However, after 1 week at 20°C, soft rot incidence increased sharply in fruit not treated before storage with FDL, unless subjected to a poststorage treatment with FDL. In contrast, the protective activity of a prestorage treatment with FDL at 20 or 50°C lasted all over the week of SMC at 20°C. The final weight loss ranged between 7.4 and 9.6%, but generally no significant difference could be detected among treatments. Peel disorders in treated fruit were less severe than in untreated ones and appeal of fruit treated with FDL at 20°C or dipped in water at 50°C either alone or in combination with SBC or FDL was still high at the end of SMC. A prestorage treatment with SBC at 50°C or water-dip at 50°C followed by a poststorage treatment with FDL at 300 mg/L and 20°C or 150 mg/L and 50°C or a single prestorage treatment with FDL at 600 mg/L and 20°C or 300 mg/L and 50°C, could be feasible strategies to effectively manage postharvest decay of cactus pear fruit.
VIII International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal, 2015
Objective of the present work was to individuate treatments able to extend the shelf-life of ready-to-eat cactus pear fruits. Prolonging the shelf-life of this product could increase its commercial diffusion and allow producers to afford new markets. Two innovative treatments, i.e., washing with electrolyzed water (EW) and conservation under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), either individually or in combination, were tested. Fruits were obtained by the second flush derived by a delayed green pruning ("scozzolatura"), a treatment which allows growers to pick fruits with a considerable delay during late Autumn and to extend the marketing calendar; namely the fruits were harvested in the first week of December. Electrolyzed water was obtained by a commercial instrument using 1.5 kg of potassium chloride in 100 L of water; the water produced was diluted up to a final concentration of 400ppm and used as sanitizer in alternative to tap water or sodium hypochlorite rinsing treatments. Fruits were rinsed with EW 400ppm or tap water for 15 min and microbiological analyses were performed to evaluate treatment effectiveness on the epiphytic bacterial population, yeast-like fungi, yeasts and filamentous fungi. EW rinsed fruits were also used for ready-to-eat products; fruits were peeled by hand packaged either under modified atmosphere (30% O 2 , 70% CO 2) or under ordinary atmosphere, and stored up to 15 days at 4°C. Chemical (pH, TA and TSS) and microbiological analyses (PCA and SDA for total bacterial count and yeast and molds counts, respectively) were performed after 1, 5, 10 and 15 days of storage. Significant chemical differences were not detected among treatments; microbial growth remained below the legal limit with some difference among the treatments. Results indicate that innovative storage methods can allow to extend the shelf-life of minimally processed cactus pear fruits to 12-14 days without compromising overall product quality and appearance.
International Journal of Fruit Science
The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of integrated postharvest chemical, packaging and storage treatments on weight loss and sugar content of cactus pear fruits. The treatments were factorial combinations of chemical (Control, 0.022 mM Salicylic Acid, and 27 mM CaCl 2), two packaging (unpackaged and packaged with polyethylene sheet) and two storage condition (ambient and evaporative cooler (EC)) in completely randomized design with three replications. Temperature and relative humidity of storage environments, weight and decay loss, and reducing and total sugar content of cactus pear fruits were recorded during 21 days of storage. EC significantly maintained parameters of cactus pear fruits tested by reducing mean temperature 2.81°C and increasing relative humidity by 11%. Packaging also reduced weight and decay loss and maintained sugar contents. Similarly, CaCl 2 treatment enabled better retention of weight and sugar content of cactus pear fruits followed by Salicylic acid. Hence, integrated use of CaCl 2 , packaging and EC are recommended to maintain lower weight and decay loss and higher reducing and total sugar contents and to extending shelf life of cactus pear fruits.
International Journal of Fruit Science, 2020
The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of integrated postharvest chemical, packaging and storage treatments on weight loss and sugar content of cactus pear fruits. The treatments were factorial combinations of chemical (Control, 0.022 mM Salicylic Acid, and 27 mM CaCl 2), two packaging (unpackaged and packaged with polyethylene sheet) and two storage condition (ambient and evaporative cooler (EC)) in completely randomized design with three replications. Temperature and relative humidity of storage environments, weight and decay loss, and reducing and total sugar content of cactus pear fruits were recorded during 21 days of storage. EC significantly maintained parameters of cactus pear fruits tested by reducing mean temperature 2.81°C and increasing relative humidity by 11%. Packaging also reduced weight and decay loss and maintained sugar contents. Similarly, CaCl 2 treatment enabled better retention of weight and sugar content of cactus pear fruits followed by Salicylic acid. Hence, integrated use of CaCl 2 , packaging and EC are recommended to maintain lower weight and decay loss and higher reducing and total sugar contents and to extending shelf life of cactus pear fruits.
Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2001
Two different heat treatments were compared as to their efficacy in preventing decay and maintaining post-harvest quality of Ž . Ž . Golden Delicious Malus domestica Borkh . The apples were treated with a hot water rinsing and brushing machine HWRB for Ž . different temperatures, and compared to apples given a dry heat treatment 96 h at 38ЊC and untreated apples. HWRB at 55ЊC Ž . for 15 s significantly reduced at Ps 0.05 decay development in Penicillium expansum-inoculated fruit after 4 weeks at 20ЊC, or in naturally infected fruit after prolonged storage of 4 months at 1ЊC plus 10 days at 20ЊC. This treatment inhibited ripening processes as measured by relatively low respiration rate and ethylene evolution and a slow colour development, compared with non-heated control, and fruit quality was maintained. Heat damage was observed on fruit rinsed and brushed at 60 or 65ЊC for 15 s. Although similar results were obtained in decay control and fruit quality of HWRB-55ЊC treated fruit and dry heated fruit, the commercial application of this short pre-storage heat treatment is more feasible than the dry heat treatment. ᮊ Industrial rele¨ance: The goal of the work was the comparison of the effectiveness of a short hot water treatment versus dry head treatment on ripening characteristics and decay development in apple fruit. The data presented demonstrate that a short hot water rinse combined with brushing reduced post-harvest decay development in apples, while maintaining fruit quality. Consequently this simple technology which should be also explored on other fruits may successfully replace current long term dry heat treatment.
Acta horticulturae, 2018
The purpose of this research was to study the effect of two edible coatings on the shelf-life of minimally processed cactus pears. Foodcoat ® (F) and Pomfresh ® (P) as standalone treatments or in combination (P+F), compared with untreated fruit, were tested. F is an edible coating composed of fatty acids derivatives and polysaccharides in an alcohol solution, while P is composed of a mixture of organic acids and antioxidants. The fruits were peeled manually, immersed for 3 s in each emulsion and placed, in numbers of three, in easy-to-open polylactic acid (a biodegradable polymer) trays with a sterile adsorbent material and stored for 4, 8 or 12 days at 5°C. Physicalchemical analyses (texture, color, pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids), microbial growth, taste characteristic, visually appearance and in-package CO2, O2 and ethylene were carried out. Changes in chemical parameters (pH, acidity and ascorbic acid) were affected by treatments and edible coating composition. The taste analysis showed that the control fruit and those treated with P coat scored better than those subjected to different treatments, especially for their appearance and texture. Although the lid of the trays was not hermetically sealed, gas movement was drastically restricted, generating an average in-package CO2 partial pressure of about 5.0 kPa in uncoated fruit and fruit treated with P coat and 5.7 kPa in fruit treated with F and P+F coat. All treatments reduced microbial growth compared to uncoated fruit.
Scientia Horticulturae, 1999
Post-harvest behaviour of summer and autumn ripening cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Cactaceae) fruit cv. Gialla was investigated in relation to pre-harvest growing conditions, and CaCl 2 applications. Summer ripening cactus pear fruit were stored for 5 weeks at 68C and 90±95% relative humidity (RH), and 3 days at 208C, 75% RH to simulate a marketing period (SMP). Autumn ripening fruits were kept under the same conditions for 7 weeks plus a SMP. Summer ripening cactus pear fruit were more susceptible to chilling injury and to weight loss, but less sensitive to decay than autumn fruit. CaCl 2 delayed rind colour development and increased fruit resistance to decay but promoted susceptibility to chilling injury. # (M. Schirra) 0304-4238/99/$ ± see front matter # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 3 0 4 -4 2 3 8 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 0 2 7 -8