Qualidade de maçãs 'Cripps Pink' armazenadas em atmosfera controlada dinâmica, temperatura elevada e técnicas complementares

Abstract

Apples are nationally important fruit and in order to ensure their continuous supply on the market, increasingly effective storage strategies are being sought. In this way, controlled atmosphere (CA), dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) and products such as: 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and ethanol are used. Additionally, new DCA techniques are being tested such as anaerobic respiration point (ARP). The 'Cripps Pink' is an advantageous cultivar due to its organoleptic characteristics and late maturity, however, it has been reported as susceptible to flesh breakdown in prolonged storage. Additionally, ideal gas concentrations and temperatures are not yet well defined to reduce this disorder. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate different methods and temperatures for ‘Cripps Pink’ apples storage, in order to maintain the fruit quality for up to nine months. On the manuscript 1 were analyzed complementary CA techniques: CA+1-MCP; AC + Ethanol; CA with 1.5 kPa CO2 compared to CA (1.0 kPa O2 + 1.0 kPa CO2) and two DCA-RQ levels (1.3 and 1.5 with 1.0 kPa CO2) in prolonged storage at 2 °C, in relation to the general fruit quality and volatile profile. On the 2nd manuscript was evaluated the effect of higher temperatures (2 and 3 °C) during nine months storage plus seven and 14 days shelf life, under the following conditions: [1] CA; [2] CA+1-MCP; [3] DCA-RQ and [4] DCA-ARP. Ethanol application and the use of high CO2 maintain good firmness and reduce the flesh breakdown in 'Cripps Pink' apples, as well as CA+1-MCP and DCA-RQ 1.5, in addition, they do not negatively affect the production of volatile compounds. The storage with 1.5 kPa CO2 improves the adsorbers efficiency. Storage at DCA-RQ 1.3 results in lower firmness, but with high concentration of volatile compounds. Therefore, complementary techniques to CA tested prove to be affordable and practical alternatives compared to the high cost of 1-MCP and the high value used in DCA-RQ monitoring systems. Increasing the storage temperature from 2 to 3 °C provides better quality to the fruit and is a very efficient strategy in reducing the incidence and severity of flesh breakdown, providing a high concentration of volatile compounds. The association of DCA-RQ and CA+1-MCP at high temperature allows greater efficiency in reducing flesh breakdown, including at extended shelf life. The use of DCA-RQ at both temperatures, in addition to providing good general quality to the fruit, intensifies their aroma, with high production of ethyl esters such as ethyl butanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate and ethyl hexanoate. The DCA-ARP maintains a volatile profile similar to CA, with greater reduction of advanced flesh breakdown in normal shelf life.