Changes in storage quality and shelf life of green asparagus over an extended harvest season

Asparagus spears (Asparagus officinalis L. cv. Welcome) were harvested from a greenhouse using the mother stalk cultivation method, from March to October and held at 1.5 degreesC to evaluate the effect of an extended harvest season on storage quality and shelf life. Both storage quality and shelf life declined over the harvest season. The deterioration of textural quality during storage took place for all harvest months, in general being higher for cooler months, and less at the top portion of the spear than at the bottom. During the harvest season, the soluble sugars and organic acid content of freshly harvested spears significantly declined by up to 53% after a 7 day storage period, and the losses were greater in the top portion than in the bottom portion. Shelf life declined by 50% from a maximum of 2.7 weeks. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.