Studies on the storage of fruits and vegetables. I

The effect of the composition of atmospheric gases on the respiration of fruits and vegetables during the storage (part 1)

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to observe the effect of the composition of atmospheric gases on the respiration of fruits and vegetables. The average of repiration rate of eggplants, Japanese pears, spinach and cauliflower (under storage in modified atmosphere) were lower than that under storage in air. Especially, the respiration rate of the products stored in modified atmosphere conta fined 5% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide was about half of that in air. (Experiment I.)
It is clear that a decline in the respiration of these products in storge is brought about by a combination of super-normal carbon dioxide concentration and reduced oxygen concentration. However, the data in experiment I has not been elucidated which is the main fatter concerning the reduction in respiration.
In order to test the precise contribution of each of these fatter, experiment II was conducted both tests on oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in atmospheric gases on the respiration of vegetables. Carbon dioxide test was carried out at the range of 0-20% and oxygen test was carried out at the range of 5-25%.
In this experiment, the respiration rate of some vegetables could be controlled either by decrease of oxygen concentration or by increase of carbon dioxide concentration.
It was found that there was three phases to control the respiration rate in practical CA-storage. Three phases were as follows: (1) decrease of oxygen concentration, (2) increase of carbon dioxide concentration and (3) both decrease of oxygen concentration and increase of carbon dioxide concentration. Vegetables showed pattern (1) were spinach, pea in pod, kidney bean, lettuce, bell peppers and eggplants. They were very sensitive to the oxygen content in atmospheric gases. Cauliflower belonged to pattern (2) which shows relatively sensitive carbon dioxide concentration. Other vegetables which are pattern (3) are strawberries, celery, tomatoes, welsh onion and garden asparagus. These vegetables were sensetive to carbon dioxide and oxygen concentration in the atmospheric gases. Thus, it was considered that the response of vegetables to special gases reducing the respiration was different from the kinds of vegetables.