Plants, Vol. 14, Pages 2440: Gas Atmosphere Innovation Applied to Prolong the Shelf Life of ‘Regina’ Sweet Cherries

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants14152440

Authors:
Rodrigo Neira-Ojeda
Sebastián Rodriguez
Cristian Hernández-Adasme
Violeta Muñoz
Dakary Delgadillo
Bo Sun
Xiao Yang
Victor Hugo Escalona

In this study, the impact of moderate and high CO2 and O2 levels was compared to low and moderate gas combinations during prolonged storage on the quality of Regina sweet cherries harvested in different maturity stages, particularly in terms of decreasing internal browning. Fruits were harvested in two different maturity stages (Light and Dark Mahogany skin color) and stored in CA of 15% CO2 + 10% O2; 10% CO2 + 10% O2; 10% CO2 + 5% O2; 5% CO2 + 5% O2 and MA of 4 to 5% CO2 + 16 to 17% O2 for 30 and 40 days at 0 °C and 90% RH, followed by a marketing period. After the storage, both maturity stages significantly reduced internal browning, decay, and visual quality losses in CA with 10–15% CO2 and 10% O2. In addition, it preserved luminosity, total soluble solids (TSSs), titratable acidity (TA), and bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins and phenols. This treatment also maintained the visual appearance of the sweet cherries, favoring their market acceptance. At the same time, the light red fruits showed a better general quality compared to darker color after the storage. In conclusion, a controlled atmosphere with optimized CO2 and O2 concentrations, together with harvesting with a Light Mahogany external color, represents an effective strategy to extend the shelf life of Regina sweet cherries up to 40 days plus the marketing period, maintaining their physical and sensory quality for export markets.

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Rodrigo Neira-Ojeda www.mdpi.com