Controlled atmosphere storage of winter white cabbage

SUMMARY In four laboratory experiments and five commercial scale trials carried out between 1977 and 1979, five cvs of winter white cabbage were stored at 0–2 °C for 29–43 wk in controlled atmospheres (C A) consisting of c. 5–6% CO2, 3% O2 and the remainder N., or in air. The incidence of rots caused by Botrytis cinerea was reduced and the incidence of ‘pepper-spotting’ (a non-microbial leaf necrosis disorder) was reduced or eliminated by storage in CA. Storage and trimming weight losses were lower and the recoveries of trimmed cabbage suitable for marketing or processing up to 22% higher in cabbage stored in CA than in those stored in air. Sensory assessments of four cvs tested indicated that CA-stored cabbages retained their green colour, crisp texture and fresh flavour better than the corresponding air-stored samples.