PRESTORAGE LOW-OXYGEN ATMOSPHERE TREATMENT REDUCES CHILLING INJURY SYMPTOMS IN FUERTE AVOCADO FRUIT

Prestorage treatment of avocado fruit (Persea americana Mill. cv. Fuerte) with a low-02 atmosphere (3% O2 + 97% N2) for 24 hours at 17C, significantly reduced chilling injury (CI) symptoms after storage at 2C for 3 weeks. Fruit softening was also delayed by this treatment. The treated fruit had lower respiration and ethylene production rates during storage at 2C and subsequently at 17C. Electrolyte leakage was significantly lower in peel disks from treated fruit. Reducing power, expressed as total sulfhydryl groups, was higher in the peel and pulp of low-O2-treated fruit. The amount of peel chlorophyll was inversely correlated with the severity of CI symptoms.