The effects of treating apples 'Orin' and Japanese pears 'Kosui' with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) constituted from a ribbon-like formulation were investigated. The 1-MCP was applied to the fruit in a corrugated cardboard box like those used for MA packaging (hereafter 'MA-box'). Since the ribbon-like formulation generates 1-MCP by absorbing water from the air, it is more practical than the commonly used powder formulations for small containers such as MA-boxes (the latter formulation must be dissolved in water before use). However, 1-MCP is generated at a much slower rate from the ribbon-like formulation, taking 6 hours for all 1-MCP to be liberated. At 3.2hours, the 1-MCP concentration in the MA-boxes peaked at 66% of the maximum concentration achieved in the air-tight container. The period of time during which the concentration was more than 50% of that achieved in the air-tight container was estimated to be less than 4hours. The effectiveness of the ribbon-like formulation of 1-MCP at maintaining the quality of 'Kosui' pears in an MA-box was almost equivalent to that of the standard 1-MCP treatment in a gas-tight container; the changes in flesh firmness, ground color, and pH of the fruit juice were extremely reduced during storage. For 'Orin' apples, treatment with the ribbon-like formulation in an MA-box was also effective for maintaining fruit quality during 5 months of cold storage, although it was relatively less effective than treating the apples in a gas-tight container. Overall, treating apples and Japanese pears in an MA-box with a ribbon-like formulation of 1-MCP is thought to be a very useful and convenient method for preserving fruit quality.
