2002 Volume 71 Issue 2 Pages 284-291
To establish an optimum postharvest handling technique to reduce loss during transportation and marketing due to softening of CTSD (Constant Temperature and Short Duration)-treated forcing-cultured 'Tonewase' Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.), the effect of packaging in polyethylene bags was studied. 1. Whether perforated or not, packaging of 'Tonewase' persimmons in polyethylene bags significantly suppressed fruit softening and weight loss. Fruit maintained their firmness longest in non-perforated bag with 0.1 mm thick film. The difference in the shelf-life between perforated and non-perforated bags was within several days. 2. A slight induction of ethylene production was observed at the end of the CO2 treatment. The rate of ethylene production in unpackaged (control) fruit increased immediately after the end of the CO2 treatment, and resulted in rapid softening ; fruit packaged in perforated or pin-holed polyethylene bags evolved a trace level of ethylene without a significant change in softening for 10 days. 3. Astringency in the fruit packaged in perforated or pin-holed polyethylene bags was completely removed within 3 days after CO2 treatment, whereas a significant level of soluble tannin remained in the fruit sealed in the non-perforated polyethylene bag 7 days after CO2 treatment. 4. Because a 6-hr delay in packaging in perforated polyethylene bag after harvest eliminated the beneficial effects of the packaging, we recommend that fruit be packaged immediately after harvest to maximize the shelf-life of 'Tonewase' fruit.
