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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wenatchee, Washington » Physiology and Pathology of Tree Fruits Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #300466
Title: 'Scarlett Spur Red Delicious' apple volatile production accompanying physiological disorder development during low pO2 controlled atmosphere storage

Author
item LUMPKIN, CHRISTIE - Washington State University
item FELLMAN, JOHN - Washington State University
item Rudell, David
item Mattheis, James

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/23/2014
Publication Date: 2/6/2014
Citation: Lumpkin, C., Fellman, J., Rudell Jr, D.R., Mattheis, J.P. 2014. 'Scarlett Spur Red Delicious' apple volatile production accompanying physiological disorder development during low pO2 controlled atmosphere storage. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. doi: 10.1021/jf405267b.

Interpretive Summary: The retail availability of apples months after fruit are harvested in made possible in part due to fruit storage in sealed cold rooms where oxygen is reduced to a very low level compared to that in air. Precise control of the low oxygen concentration is critical as fruit can be damaged if oxygen becomes too low. Current technology to keep tabs on storage room atmospheres relies on oxygen sensors, however, situations such as leaks in gas sampling lines between the storage room and oxygen sensor can provide false oxygen readings. As apple fruit experiencing storage in insufficient oxygen undergo a change in production of volatile compounds, research was conducted to determine the rate at which this change occurs as well as the nature of volatile compound production by apples fruit during low oxygen storage. Results indicate volatile production is rapidly altered when apples experience insufficient oxygen, and that under tolerant but still low oxygen concentrations compared to storage in air, changes in volatile compound production also occur that may have utility for optimizing fruit quality after long term storage.

Technical Abstract: Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) fruit volatile production is regulated by a variety of factors including storage conditions. Although controlled atmosphere (CA) technology extends apple fruit storage life, improper storage conditions can adversely affect volatile production and increase the risk of physiological disorder development. This study examined the impact of low pO2 controlled atmospheres on ‘Scarlett Spur Red Delicious’ apple volatile production and disorder development. Accumulation of apple volatile compounds was characterized during long-term cold storage at 0.5 °C in air or low pO2 (0.3, 0.8, or 1.5 kPa) with 1 kPa CO2. Volatile compounds in storage chamber headspace were collected onto solid sorbent traps and analyzed using GC-MS. Volatile accumulation differed quantitatively with pO2 as acetaldehyde, ethanol, and ethyl ester accumulation increased with decreased pO2 during the first weeks in storage. Differences in volatile accumulation among atmospheres were evident through 6 months. The rate of ethanol accumulation increased with decreased pO2 and could potentially be used to monitor low O2 stress. Incidence of low oxygen disorders after 9 months was highest in fruit held at the lowest pO2. The sesquiterpene a-farnesene was not detected throughout the storage period.