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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #72047
Title: CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE AFFECTS QUALITY AND CHILLING SUSCEPTIBILITY OF CUCUMBERS

Author
item Wang, Chien
item QI, LING - 1275-49

Submitted to: Food Quality Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Chilling injury is a problem in most crops of tropical or subtropical origin. About one-third of all fruits and vegetables in U.S. markets are susceptible to chilling injury. Symptoms of chilling injury such as pitting, discoloration, internal breakdown, and decay can result in large postharvest losses during marketing. Cucumbers are very sensitive to chilling injury. We found that by raising carbon dioxide levels and lowering oxygen concentration in the storage atmosphere, the severity of chilling injury symptoms in cucumbers can be reduced. This finding is useful to the produce industry and consumers.

Technical Abstract: Quality of cucumbers stored at a chilling temperature (5C) was improved by controlled atmospheres (CA). The elevated level of CO2 (3 percent) and decreased concentrations of O2 (1 and 15 percent) also increased the tolerance of cucumbers to chilling exposure. Contents of sugars, including fructose and glucose; and organic acids, particularly malic acid, were maintained at higher levels in CA-stored cucumbers than in air-stored samples. Respiration rates (measured as CO2 production) of cucumber fruit during storage at 5C were markedly suppressed under CA conditions as compared to those under air storage. Contrary to reports in the literature, CA storage was found to be beneficial in reducing chilling injury and maintaining quality in cucumbers.