The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of pre-storage fruit treatment with nitric oxide (NO) on the quality maintenance of cold stored 'Cripps Pink' apples. The following treatments were evaluated: 0 µL•L -1 of NO (control); 10 µL•L -1 of NO for 2 h; 10 µL•L -1 of NO for 4 h; 10 µL•L -1 of NO for 8 h; and 20 µL•L -1 of NO for 2 h. Fruit treated with NO, regardless of concentration and application time, had a greener skin background color than the control, especially those treated with 10 µL•L -1 for 8 h. After 7 days of shelf life (23 ± 3 °C/relative humidity, RH, of 65 ± 5%), fruit treated with 10 µL•L -1 for 8 h and 20 µL•L -1 for 2 h had lower respiration rate and a greener skin background color than the control. Fruit treated with NO, regardless of concentration and application time, had a lower incidence of flesh browning after storage. The use of NO (10 µL•L -1 applied for 8 h and 20 µL•L -1 applied for 2 h) pre-storage maintains the quality of 'Cripps Pink' apples, because it delays skin yellowing and reduces flesh browning. Nitric oxide has no effect on the maintenance of flesh firmness in 'Cripps Pink' apples.

This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of fruit ripening stage at harvest (“1/3 ripe” and “3/4 ripe”, respectively with 30% and 75% of red color) and passive modified atmosphere (MA) and active MA (with initial initial low O2 and/or high CO2) on quality of ‘San Andreas’ strawberries, with emphasis on bioactive compounds and metabolites of fermentative metabolism. The treatments evaluated were: control; passive MA [low density polyethylene (LDPE) packaging of 40 µm]; active MA with initial low O2 (1 kPa); active MA with initial high CO2 (30 kPa); and active MA with initial low O2 (1 kPa) and high CO2 (30 kPa). After 14 days of storage (0.5±0.2°C/92±2% RH) followed by two days of shelf life (20±5°C/65±10% RH), fruit weight loss was higher in control fruit. Soluble solids content and titratable acidity were not different between treatments. Fruit harvested “1/3 ripe” were firmer and had less intense red color after storage than fruit harvested “3/4 ripe”. Storage conditions did not affect fruit texture maintenance, but all MA conditions delayed fruit red color evolution, regardless of ripening stage at harvest. Strawberries harvested “1/3 ripe” and stored in active MA with initial high CO2 had lower incidence and severity of decay. In general, total phenolic compounds (TPC) and total antioxidant activity (TAA) were higher in fruit harvested “1/3 ripe”. The metabolites of the fermentative metabolism were higher in fruit harvested “3/4 ripe” and stored in active MA with initial low O2. Fruit harvested “1/3 ripe” had higher values of TPC and TAA and lower incidence of decay after storage. The use of active MA with initial high partial pressure of CO2 preserves the postharvest life of ‘San Andreas’ strawberries, by reducing decay without increasing the metabolites of the fermentative metabolism.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of low, ultra-low, and extremely low partial pressures of O 2 in a controlled atmosphere (CA) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the postharvest quality of 'Cripps Pink' apples. The treatments used were 21.00 kPa of O 2 (cold storage [CS]), CS + 1-MCP, and CA conditions with 2.00, 1.00, 0.60 and 0.25 kPa of O 2 , without 1-MCP. All fruit were stored at 1.5 ± 0.2 °C, relative humidity (RH) 92 ± 2%, and partial pressure of CO 2 < 0.5 kPa, for 4.5 and 8 months, followed by another seven days of shelf life (20 ± 2 °C/RH of 60 ± 5%). Respiration and ethylene production rates were reduced in all CA conditions and the CS + 1-MCP treatment when compared to the CS without 1-MCP, in both storage periods. The application of 1-MCP delayed ripening and reduced the quality loss of the fruits stored for 4.5 months. The CA with 0.6 and 0.25 kPa of O 2 reduced the incidence of superficial scald, decay, mealiness, and skin greasiness, and maintained the background color of the epidermis of the fruits in storage for 8 months. Among the CA conditions, the treatment of 0.25 kPa presented the highest production of ethanol and acetaldehyde in the fruits stored for 8 months.Treatment of 0.6 kPa of O 2 kept higher values of total phenolic compounds, in the peel and flesh, in both storage periods. Fruits stored under 0.6 kPa of O 2 showed the best quality after 8 months of storage.

No abstract

A proposição do trabalho é apresentar uma revisão sobre o uso de óleos essenciais no controle de doenças na pós-colheita de frutos, tendo em vista que o mesmo vem sendo pesquisado afim de ser utilizado no controle de doenças. As doenças que mais causam perdas na pós-colheita são as podridões causadas por fungos, e podem se manifestar em diferentes períodos, desde o momento da colheita, até após o período de armazenamento, durante a comercialização dos frutos. Os óleos essenciais de plantas são constituídos por metabólitos secundários. São substâncias líquidas, oleosas, voláteis, naturais e com forte aroma, quase sempre agradável. O efeito destes óleos no controle de doenças pós-colheita pode ser explicado devido as suas propriedades antimicrobianas e fungistáticas. Sua utilização em pré e pós-colheita vem demonstrando ser uma alternativa viável e promissora no manejo de podridões em frutos, contribuindo para a redução de contaminação ambiental pela diminuição de agroquímicos. Sistemas de produção de alimentos com segurança ambiental vem ao encontro do anseio da sociedade, que, cada vez mais, se conscientiza e busca alimentos que tenham sido produzidos com menor agressão ao ambiente e que apresentam baixo risco à saúde dos agricultores, ressaltando assim a crescente preocupação dos consumidores pela aquisição de produtos mais saudáveis e seguros e com menor risco de resíduos químicos. Neste sentido, objetivando suprir a falta de informações, são apresentados dados de pesquisas a fim de auxiliar na compreensão do uso de óleos essenciais no controle de podridões na pós-colheita de frutos.