Postharvest heat treatment as a possible means of reducing superficial scald of apples

A pre-storage heat treatment of 38°C for four days applied to apples (Malus domestica cv. ‘Granny Smith’) before standard storage in air at 0°C was found to inhibit the development of superficial scald. Apples stored for three months after heat treatment had superficial scald levels similar to those of apples dipped in diphenylamine (DPA), while all control apples had scald. This inhibitory effect was no longer apparent after five months of storage. The heat treatment inhibited the accumulation of α-farnesene and conjugated trienes in apple cuticle while DPA inhibited only a-farnesene oxidation. Heat treated apples also had lower polyphenoloxidase activity in the peel than untreated apples. This treatment may be a substitute for chemical treatments for short-term storage of scald- susceptible apple varieties.

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