Contents Change According to Location of Cabbage in Storage and Effects of Storage Temperature and Film Package on Quality of Cabbage Harvested in Summer Season

Abstract

Effects of the storage temperature on freshness, respiration rate and chemical components in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitate L.) harvested in the summer season were studied. The cabbage was stored at 5°C, 10°C and 15°C, and the chemical components in different parts from outside to the inside were measured. During storage at 20°C, the total sugar content in all parts of cabbage decreased, whereas during storage at 5°C, that in the most outside part of cabbage decreased slightly. The pattern of the decrease of sucrose/total sugar ratio (SU/TS ratio) in the central part of cabbage was different from that in the most outside part. In the central part, the SU/TS ratio during storage at all temperatures showed no change, but in the most outside part, the ratio decreased greatly during storage at 15°C and 20°C. The ascorbic acid content in all parts of cabbage decreased proportionately as the storage temperature became high, and that in the most outside part decreased significantly. The respiration rate decreased slowly during storage at all of the temperatures. The respiration rate of 1/2 cut-type (1/2 type) cabbage was higher than that of non-cut type (whole-type) cabbage at harvest, and those of the 2 types became almost the same after 7 days of storage. The quality of cabbage, which was harvested in the summer season and then packaged with the package of LDPE (thickness : 30, μm), was kept for about 2 weeks in the whole-type, and for 5 to 7 days in the 1/2 type, respectively, during storage at St. It is suggested that the decrease of ascorbic acid content in the most outside part of the cabbage during storage can be shown as a magnified value of the decrease in the whole (non-cut) cabbage