EFFECTS OF COMBINATION OF HEAT TREATMENTS AND MODIFIED ATMOSPHERES ON STRAWBERRY FRUIT QUALITY

A.R. VICENTE, A.R. CHAVES, P.M. CIVELLO, G.A. MARTINEZ

ACTA HORTICULTURAE

ISHS

Año: 2003 vol. 600 p. 197 - 199

0567-7572

Strawberries (Fragaria ananassa cv Selva) were put in bags with different permeability to CO2, O2 and H2O vapor, heat treated in an oven (45°C, 3h) and stored at 0°C for 0,7 or 14 days. When the treatment was finished, fruit was maintained at 20°C for 48h. The effect of heat treatment and films on fruit firmness, superficial color, anthocyanin content, and decay was analyzed. Heat-treated fruit kept firmer and presented less fungal attack than the control. Superficial color development was delayed  (lower hue angle), and anthocyanin presented lower levels in the case of heat-treated fruit. When the fruits were treated and packed in bags that retain CO2, the effects were enhanced and fruit postharvest life was extended. These results show that the use of heat treatments in combination with refrigerated storage could be a good alternative to keep strawberry fruit quality. Additional improvement can be obtained by performing the heat treatment in bags that allow retaining the CO2 produced because of the enhanced respiration rate during treatment.