The effect of low oxygen and high carbon dioxide on storage and pickle production of pickling cucumbers cv. 'Octobus'

This study was carried out with the aim of determining the optimum storage time and conditions that provide raw material suitable to pickle production. Fresh pickling cucumbers (cv. Octobus) were stored for 30 days at 7 degrees C and 90-95% relative humidity (RH) under different controlled atmosphere (CA) combinations. Samples taken at the beginning and on the 0 (i.e., without storage), 10, 20 and 30 days of storage were processed to sweet pickle. At each sampling, physical and chemical analyses were carried out in the fresh pickling cucumbers to determine the changes in the quality with storage time. Besides, physical, chemical and sensory analyses were carried out in the pickles elaborated from the fresh samples taken at the same periods, after keeping at room temperature for 6 months, with the aim of determining CA and storage time effect on the final pickle quality. It was found that storage of cucumbers to be processed to pickle could be possible for less than 10 days at 7 degrees C temperature and 90-95 RH under normal atmosphere (NA). However, physical and chemical analyses showed that storage period of fresh pickling cucumbers could be prolonged up to 30 days under the same storage conditions, if suitable atmosphere combinations are created. Nevertheless, it was concluded that restricting the storage period of fresh pickling cucumbers to 20 days could give better results after processing to pickle. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.