Postharvest control of litchi pericarp browning (cv. Kwai Mi) by combined treatments of chitosan and organic acids. II. Effect of the initial water content of pericarp
2005
Caro, Y. | Joas, J.
The combined use of organic acids and chitosan may stabilise the colour of litchi fruit after harvest (Litchi chinensis Sonn cv. Kwai Mi). While homogeneous responses were obtained from acid-chitosan treatments performed at pH 0.8, the response to treatments performed at pH 1 or 1.3 appeared less consistent and predictable. Treatment effectiveness depended on the conditions of coating application. Humidifying fruit prior to treatment favoured acid impregnation at a given storage temperature. The extent of browning may be estimated from an acid impregnation index (AII), defined as the titratable acidity-to-postharvest weight loss (in %) ratio. Results suggest that the response to acid-chitosan treatment is partially physiology-dependent (pericarp water content) and that treatments at higher pH (above 1) may be considered, provided that treatment and storage conditions are properly controlled.
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