Influence of Fast Cold Chain and Modified Atmosphere Packaging Storage on Postharvest Quality of Early Season-Harvested Sweet Cherries

• Published in: Journal of food processing and preservation Vol. 39; no. 6; pp. 2119 - 2128
• Main Authors: Özkaya, Okan, Şener, Aysun, Saridaş, Mehmet Ali, Ünal, Ümit, Valizadeh, Adel, Dündar, Ömür
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2015
• Subjects: Chains; Cherries; Cold storage; Fruits; Modified atmospheres; Packaging; Prunus; Shelf life; Sweets
• ISSN: 0145-8892; 1745-4549
• DOI: 10.1111/jfpp.12455

The effects of fast cold chain alone and combination with modified atmosphere–modified humidity packaging (MA/MH) on the fruit quality, the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), polygalacturonase (PG), individual sugars, organic acids and total anthocyanin amount of early‐harvested “0900 Ziraat” sweet cherries were investigated after 8 days of cold storage at 0C and subsequent 2 days of ambient temperature storage (simulating shelf life). Results showed that, combination treatment with fast cold chain and MA/MH packaging decreased the weight losses, fruit elasticity, pitting amount, PG, PPO activities, stem visual appearance and preserved the fruit's initial quality better than the controls after the studied storage times. We determine that using MA/MH packaging, even in a short distribution chain circumstances, will protect the quality of early‐harvested crops throughout their shelf life. Pratical Applications Cherries have a relatively short storage life and exporters typically prefer to purchase the early season fruit over a short time period without modified atmosphere packaging, which results in a larger amount of decay and a poor market quality. The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of fast cold chain and MA/MH packaging on quality attributes, main physicochemical and cell wall enzymatic activities of the 0900 Ziraat sweet cherry.