Comparative Analyses of Ripening, Texture Properties and Cell Wall Composition in Three Tropical Fruits Treated with 1-Methylcyclopropene during Cold Storage

Abstract

Regulation of fruit ripening is one of the most important topics in postharvest storage. Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) greatly depend on the responsiveness of fruit cultivar to this molecule. Although 1-MCP has been used in postharvest preservation of many fruit species, its effects on ripening process, including ethylene production, and softening of banana, mango, and papaya are still not very clear. In the present study, we comparatively investigated the effects of 1-MCP fumigation treatment (1 μL L−1 for 20 h) on ripening behavior and texture qualities of the three fruits during storage at 15 ℃. Results showed that 1-MCP treatment not only suppressed the production but also delayed the peak points of ethylene in banana and mango. However, it only significantly delayed the emergence of peak, but didn’t suppress the production of ethylene in papaya. Meanwhile, 1-MCP treated papayas showed the lowest malondialdehyde (MDA) content, cell membrane permeability (CMP) and activities of polygalacturonase (PG) and cellulose (CX), accompanied by the highest firmness and protopectin content. Furthermore, 1-MCP treatment slowed down the changes of pulp cell structure in three kinds of fruit. Thus, the findings suggest that postharvest application of 1-MCP has potential in banana and mango fruits due to both prolonging storage-life and ensuring the texture quality, whereas it is not suitable for papaya fruit because of the abnormal softening and the poor texture.

Preservation of Quality and Bioactive Compounds in Mangoes Using Chitosan-Graphene-Oxide-Based Biodegradable Packaging

“…Even so, 'Tommy Atkins' mangoes require adoption of postharvest technologies to enable the export of high-quality fruit to the final destination, whose transport can take more than 30 days. The ideal storage temperature for 'Tommy Atkins' mangoes ranges from 10 to 13 • C, in order to reduce fruit metabolism and conserve fruit quality without lead to chilling injury [12]. However, due to the high perishability of mangos, other technologies are required in addition to cold storage to increase fruit postharvest life.…”

“…Two mangoes were inserted in each package, which was sealed using a sealing machine, creating conditions of modified atmosphere (MA). Then, the mangoes were stored at 12.0 ± 0.5 • C and 89 ± 3% relative humidity, in the central position at the end of a cold chamber (GEFRIO, Fortaleza, Brazil), with dimensions of 3 × 2 × 3 m (length × width × height), and air flow of 2 m s −1 [12]. A total of 96 fruit were stored for 42 days, simulating conditions of long-distance shipping.…”

“…Several technologies have been investigated and applied to extend mangoes' postharvest life [5,[7][8][9][10][11]. Refrigeration at 10-13 • C is one of the most efficient techniques to maintain quality and extend the postharvest life of 'Tommy Atkins' mangoes without leading to chilling injury [12]. However, refrigeration alone may not be enough to export mangoes to distant markets, whose transport can take more than 30 days, limiting the worldwide mango distribution from the production regions to consumers.…”

Effect of Humidity-Triggered Controlled-Release 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on Postharvest Quality of Papaya Fruit

“…Previous studies already applied 1-MCP on postharvest papaya storage, and arrived at 1.0 to 1.5 ppm as the recommended dose [12][13][14]. However, traditional 1-MCP is not convenient to use, and too high doses can cause physiological disorder.…”