Metabolism and cold chain performance of ‘Chuhwangbae’ Asian pears as impacted by 1-MCP treatment

Authors: LWIN, HNIN PHYU - Chung-Ang University; Rudell, David; LEE, JINWOOK - Chung-Ang University

Submitted to: Scientia Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/5/2021
Publication Date: 6/20/2021
Citation: Lwin, H., Rudell Jr, D.R., Lee, J. 2021. Metabolism and cold chain performance of ‘Chuhwangbae’ Asian pears as impacted by 1-MCP treatment. Scientia Horticulturae. 288. Article 110357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110357.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110357

Interpretive Summary: ‘Chuhwangbae’ is a variety of Asian pear with a growing market share in Republic of Korea and Asia, in general. This pear can only be stored for up to 3 months under refrigeration with any expectation of acceptable market quality following the important distribution and retail period of the cold chain where any economic losses are compounded. Strategies to optimize cold chain performance of this variety often use temperature acclimation as a means for reducing shriveling and internal browning, common sources of loss of this variety. However, this procedure often comes at a cost to other quality traits such as sourness and texture, especially during distribution and retail. Consequently, 1-MCP treatment at harvest, a crop protectant used for apple and pear quality preservation during the cold chain, was investigated for its impact on quality with special focus on internal browning and shrivel during the post-storage period of the cold chain. To better detect latent influences of the test storage regimes as well as the nature of the impacts of 1-MCP during this period, broad chemical changes were analyzed. We found that 1-MCP treatment impeded loss of flavor and texture while reducing internal browning although not weight loss and shrivel as with other Asian pear cultivars, instead exacerbating these conditions. These disorders developed rapidly during the post-storage period alongside widespread changes in chemistry indicative of enhanced respiration and metabolism provoked by warmer temperatures. Results indicate that 1-MCP was not effective at controlling shrivel of this cultivar, although it was difficult to determine whether 1-MCP treatment impeded or enhanced processes involved with this condition.

Technical Abstract: 'Chuhwangbae’ pear fruit were treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) immediately following harvest, stored at 1 °C for up to 3 months for cold storage and, then, held at 25 °C for 14 d to ripen. Fruit quality, including browning disorder incidence, water loss or “shrivel”, and levels of key metabolites were repeatedly analyzed during the simulated cold chain. Fruit treated with 1-MCP lost more weight and firmness than untreated fruit during the entire cold chain. 1-MCP treatment reduced the severity of flesh browning but enhanced the incidence and severity of shrivelling during post-storage ripening after 3 months cold storage. GABA, histidine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine levels were higher in 1-MCP treatment than in untreated fruit flesh tissue. The results indicate that overall changes of metabolite levels were less during cold storage following 1-MCP treatment and more during post-storage ripening. Results indicate that pear fruit quality was highly impacted by 1-MCP treatment especially during post-storage ripening following cold storage.