Chapters authored
Quality of Postharvest Degreened Citrus Fruit
External color is a key factor that defines external citrus fruit quality. Degreening with exogenous ethylene exposure is a widely used postharvest treatment applied to promote external citrus fruit color development, mainly with those cultivars that reach internal maturity while their external peel color is still green. Ethylene plays a crucial role in the color change of citrus fruit because it induces two simultaneous, but independent, processes—chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid synthesis. However, it is important to know, in addition to the effect on skin color development, whether this treatment can negatively affect other fruit quality parameters. This chapter addresses the influence of postharvest degreening treatment on the physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory quality of citrus fruit.
Part of the book: Citrus Research
Recent Development in the Preharvest 1-MCP Application to Improve Postharvest Fruit Quality
1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an ethylene action inhibitor, is routinely applied to fruit as a postharvest treatment prior to cold storage to extend fruit storability and posterior shelf life. Nevertheless, preharvest 1-MCP applied as a liquid spray to trees is a novel treatment for maintaining fruit quality throughout the postharvest in some crops and can be a very useful tool for improving handling operations in packing houses. This chapter aims to provide an overview of not only employing 1-MCP as a preharvest treatment in different crops, but also of its effect on the biochemical and physico-chemical parameters that influence fruit postharvest quality, storage capacity, and chilling injury development. It also intends to address the main factors related to the preharvest 1-MCP application effect, such as application time, optimum concentrations, and its combination with other preharvest treatments.
Part of the book: New Advances in Postharvest Technology