Abstract
Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) 'Hiratanenashi' fruit were treated with carbon dioxide (above 95%) at 25°C for 48 hr just after harvest, held at 25°C for 6 hr, and sealed individually in polyethylene (PE) bags of 0.03 to 0.08 mm thickness. They were stored at 5°C for one day and then at 0°C for 93-day. All fruit were marketable whether packed PE bags or not. No significant differences in flesh firmness and total soluble solids (TSS) content between before and after of storage were found, but fruit colour deepened during storage. Thickness of PE film had no significant effects on storage life and keeping quality. As the storage duration (30 to 120 days) increased, the percentages of marketable fruit decreased slightly but no significant differences occurred in flesh firmness and TSS. Packing in PE bags slowed the rate of softening during a 7-day holding period at room temperature, irrespective of the initial cold storage period. We recommend that CO2-treated 'Hiratanenashi' persimmons are stored in 0.05 mm thickness at 0°C for no more than 4 months to maintain their flavor and texture.
