Effect of heat and cold treatments on respiratory metabolism and shelf-life of sweet cherry, type picota cv >Ambrunés>

Abstract

The sweet cherry (Prunus avium L. cv Ambrunés) is included in the group of Picotas. This variety is potentially suitable for postharvest mechanical processing due to its particular morphology, greater firmness and the fact that it is harvested without a stem. In order to improve the postharvest shelf-life of this variety, we evaluated the residual effects of heat pre-treatments at 50°C/2 min, hydro-cooling and normal cooling as a control, on respiratory metabolism and quality of the fruit, including respiration rate, soluble sugars, organic acids, decay and quality parameters, during storage at 0°C for 5 and 10 days plus 2 and 4 days at 20°C. In comparison with other sweet cherry varieties, at 20°C the >Ambrunés> cherries had low respiratory activity suggesting a high potential for postharvest storage. Storage at low temperatures resulted in high respiration rates in fruit transferred to 20°C, this being greater with increasing time of storage at 0°C. The heat pre-treatments induced early ripening of the fruit, characterized by rapid consumption of glucose and malic acid, and loss of quality, especially increased softening after 10 days of storage plus 4 days at 20°C. Hydro-cooling was a positive treatment in delaying senescence and prolonging the shelf-life of the fruit, diminishing the loss of quality. Hydro-cooling also slowed down sugar metabolism, diminishing the consumption of malic acid at 20°C and maintaining glucose and sorbitol levels during storage at 0°C. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.