Packaging and Storage of Soft-ripened 'Saijo' Persimmons (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) for Improving Sales

Abstract

　The effects of temperature and packaging on the storage life of soft-ripened 'Saijo' persimmons (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) were studied. After storage of several weeks at0℃, 'Saijo' persimmons were treated with ethylene to obtain soft-ripened persimmons. A new criterion was adopted to categorize the firmness of soft-ripened persimmons. The storage lives of soft-ripened 'Saijo' persimmons were 2, 6 and more than 10 days at 20, 10 and 5℃, respectively. Packaging in a perforated polyethylene film bag and vacuum packaging of individual persimmons extended the storage life up to 20 days at 5℃. Vacuum packaging induced infiltration of liquid in the central vascular bundle of the fruit. The persimmons with liquid infiltration, however, did not have an off-flavor. The length of cold storage of harvested persimmons prior to ethylene treatment practically did not affect the storage life of soft-ripened persimmons. The combination of cold storage prior to ethylene treatment and packaging of soft-ripened persimmons enables uninterrupted supply of soft-ripened persimmons until the end of the year.