Effect of Short-term High CO₂ Treatment on Freshness of Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract

Possibility to keep the freshness of fruits and vegetables by short-term high CO₂ treatment at 20°C was examined. The physiological effect of treatment on tomato fruit was investigated. Exposure to 100% CO₂ for one day was most effective to delay the ripening of tomato fruit, and 6 hour-treatment was also effective. Carbon dioxide was more effective than N₂. Treatment with CO₂ and low temperatures did not lead to accelerate the effect compared with CO₂ treatment alone. There was difference between the effect of treatment on the fruit of different ripening stages: the treatment was effective considerably when CO₂ was applied to the fruit of stages at breaker or light pink rather than mature green one. There were different effects of treatment on the fruit harvested in different seasons including forcing and retarding. Treatment with 40-100% CO₂ for one day was effective to keep the freshness of tomatoes, bananas, pears, broccolies, garland chrysanthemums, and mushrooms. In banana fruit, the shock effect by the treatment with high concentrations of CO₂ was remarkable. In this cace, the best result was obtained in the fruit treated for 3 days. Good quality of pears and broccolies was holden without occurrence of CO₂ injuries for 9 days(100% CO₂)or 5 days(80% CO₂)during storage, respectively.