A Conditioning Treatment prevented or alleviated chilling injury incidence in peaches and nectarines

Postharvest, nectarine, peach, chilling injury, poscosecha, postcosecha, melocot?n, nectarina, da?os por fr?oAlthough refrigeration is the most effective technology for extending postharvest life of fruit and vegetables, in peaches and nectarines low temperatures, between the freezing point and 10?C, lead to the development of physiological disorders known as chilling injury. In packinghouses, the temperature control become difficult as huge volumes of fruit are harvested and the critical temperatures often occur. The prevention of chilling injury is a major industrial concern since it provokes a negative consumer response as a result of the quality loss. Regarding postharvest technologies, conditioning treatment (CT) has been demonstrated to alleviate chilling injury of stone fruit. This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of CT on chilling injury incidence, physiological parameters and quality attributes of peaches and nectarines (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch). Thus, commercially harvested ?Plagol 25? and ?Diamond Princess? peaches and ?Lara Bigi? and ?Honey? nectarines were conditioned at 20?C before refrigeration at 0 and 5?C (CT0 and CT5) or immediately refrigerated (C0 and C5). After a short and a long-term? storage, chilling injury incidence, respiration rate, ethylene production, firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solids content and sugar compounds were assessed. The results showed that CT prevented or alleviated chilling injury incidence, enhanced ethylene production and softening, and slightly reduced acid consumption, whereas it had no effect on respiratory rate, soluble solids content, total sugars and sucrose. Original title, authors, and sources:Chilling injury, physiological parameters and quality attributes of peaches and nectarines to conditioning treatmentC. Miguel-Pintado1, B. Velardo1, M. Lozano1, M.J. Bernalte2, M.C. Ayuso2 and D. Gonz?lez-G?mez11 Technological Institute of Food and Agriculture (INTAEX), Avda. Adolfo Su?rez s/n, 06007 Badajoz, Spain2 Agricultural Engineering School, University of Extremadura, Avda. Adolfo Su?rez s/n, 06007 Badajoz, Spain, belen.velardo@juntaextremadura.esPostLleida 2012, X Simposio Nacional y VII Ib?rico Sobre Maduraci?n y Postcosecha, Lleida, Catalunya (Espa?a), 1-4 octubre 2012, organizado por el Grupo de investigaci?n: ?Unidad de Poscosecha?, UdL ? IRTA, XaRTA. The pictures show a peach with mealiness and a nectarine with pitting; it were provided by Bel?n Velardo. ? ?