Storage of Apricots in a Modified Gas Atmosphere After Pre-Treatment With Chitosan

Abstract

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) has thin covering tissues and tender juicy flesh. This contributes to mechanical damage and leads to further losses in the post-harvest period. Besides, аpricot is a climacteric fruit. It is characterized by a high intensity of respiration and metabolism, and the greatest sensitivity to ethylene among all stone fruits. Therefore, after harvesting, the ripening process occurs quickly, that leads to a limitation of the shelf life. Storage in a modified atmosphere is used to inhibit metabolic processes, but, in this way, it is not always possible to get the desired result and avoid fungal, rotten and other signs of deterioration. Therefore, today research devoted to the study of alternative methods and methods of improving the preservation of the quality of apricot fruits is objectively becoming relevant. The aim of the research is to substantiate the expediency of pre-treatment of apricot fruits with chitosan and to determine the most effective concentration of it for the preservation of quality indicators. The research uses physico-chemical methods of research and methodological bases of the processes of accumulation, systematization, analysis, generalization and synthesis of data. For the researches were used the consumer-ripe apricot fruits treated with 1,0; 2,0 and 3,0 % solutions of low molecular weight chitosan. The mass fraction of dry soluble substances at the end of storage in the control was 7,0 %, it is less on 0,4–1,0 % compared to the samples that were pretreated with chitosan solutions. The mass fraction of sugars on the twenty-fifth day of storage varied between 5,9–7,0 %, it is more on 0,9–2,0 % than the control. The loss of organic acids at the end of storage was less on 0,16–0,36 % than the control. The results make it possible to prolong the quality, freshness of look and marketability of apricot fruits, to avoid large losses of the harvested the fruit for storage period.