Investigating the potential of a humidification system to control moisture loss and quality of ‘Crimson Seedless’ table grapes during cold storage
2013
Ngcobo, Mduduzi E.K. | Delele, Mulugeta A. | Chen, Lan | Opara, U. L. (Umezuruike Linus)
The potential of humidifying cold storage rooms to control moisture loss and quality of table grapes in different package designs was studied. Fruit were stored in cold rooms (−0.33±0.32°C or −0.12±0.32°C) with humidifier (95.0% RH) or no humidification (90.3% RH) respectively. Room humidification resulted in a 7.5% and 9.0% increase in RH inside the clamshell and open-top punnets multi-scale packages respectively in comparison to non-humidified storage, while there was no significant change in RH inside the 4.5kg carry bag multi-packaging. The grapes were assessed for weight loss and SO2 injury at intervals during a 35d period. After 21d of cold storage under humidification, weight loss of grapes was significantly higher (P<0.05) in packages with open-top punnets than clamshell punnets and carry-bags. After 35days in non-humidified cold storage, grape weight losses were 1.45±0.32%, 1.62±0.21% and 2.01±0.57% for the 4.5kg carry-bag, 5kg clamshell punnet and 5kg open-top multi-packages, respectively. When fruit were stored inside the same types of multi-packages under humidification, the corresponding weight losses were 0.97±0.34%, 1.08±0.27% and 2.00±0.57%. Cold storage humidification reduced the rate of stem dehydration and browning; however, it increased the incidence of SO2 injury in table grape bunches and caused wetting of the packages.
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