Abstract
Methods of long-term storage of Hiratanenashi persimmons packed in plastic film were investigated. We initially studied the effects of different methods of removing astringency on the storability of the fruit. Three methods were compared : a) storing persimmons individually packed in plastic film at 1°C after treatment with elevated carbon dioxide gas (CTSD method) to remove astringency; b) packaging persimmons with reagents for removing astringency and keeping them at 20°C until astringency removal, then storing them at 1°C; and c) packaging persimmons with or without reagents for removing astringency and storing them immediately at 5°C. We found that persimmon softening during storage is clearly retarded by method a), resulting in a long storability of the fruit. We then studied the effects of storage temperature (1°C and 5°C) and the presence of an ethylene absorber on the storability of persimmons individually packed in plastic film after removing astringency (method a)). The storability of the fruit stored at 1°C was longer than that of the fruit stored at 5°C. A positive effect of the presence of an ethylene absorber on the retardation of persimmon softening during storage was observed at 1°C and 5°C. From these results, we conclude that the individual packing of persimmons in plastic film ar 1°C after astringency removal is effective for the long-term storage of this fruit.
