Postharvest Calcium Infiltration Alone and Combined with Surface Coating Treatments Influence Volatile Levels, Respiration, Ethylene Production, and Internal Atmospheres of `Golden Delicious' Apples
Year: 1999
Type: article
Abstract: Effects of postharvest pressure infiltration of distilled water, CaCl 2 solutions at 0.14 or 0.27 mol·L -1 without and with subsequent fruit coating treatments of preclimacteric `Golden Delicious' [ Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf. `Golden Delicious'] apples on volatile levels, respiration, ethylene production, and internal atmospheres after storage at 0 °C for 1 to 6 months, and during subsequent shelf life at 20 °C were investigated. Over 30 volatiles were detected, most of the identified volatiles were esters; the rest were alcohols, aldehydes, ethers, a ketone, and a sesquiterpene. Pressure infiltration of water and increasing concentrations of CaCl 2 resulted progressively in reduced total volatile levels, respiration, ethylene production, and internal O 2 levels and increased CO 2 levels in fruit following 2 to 4 months storage in air at 0 °C. Total volatile levels, respiration, ethylene production, and internal atmospheres of CaCl 2 -treated apples at 0.14 mol·L -1 gradually recovered to nontreated control levels following 2 weeks of shelf life at 20 °C and/or storage at 0 °C in air for more than 4 months. Following the calcium treatments with a shellac- or wax-based coating had similar but stronger and more persistent effects on volatile levels, respiration, ethylene production, and internal atmospheres than those found in fruit treated with CaCl 2 alone. Calcium infiltration did not change the composition of volatile compounds found in fruit. Results suggest that pressure infiltration of `Golden Delicious' apples with CaCl 2 solutions transiently inhibited volatile levels, respiration, and ethylene production, in part, by forming a more-or-less transient barrier to CO 2 and O 2 exchange between the fruit tissue and the surrounding atmosphere.
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,500
OpenAlex ID: W2186452463