Abstract

"Hass" avocado fruits, harvested in middle May, were film wrapped in polystyrene trays putting 3 fruits for each tray and using a heat shrinkable film. Soon after fruits were stored at 4°C, Boe or left at 20°C, in shelf-life condition. After 3 weeks of cold storage fruits were transferred to 20°C in shelf-life condition. The film was removed at the end of refrigeration, or after 3 or 6 days of shelf-life. Wrapping had little effect in prolonging the time required to reach the eating stage in fruits stored at 8°C with respect to the control, but was beneficial in reducing weight losses and internal browning. Wrapped fruits stored at 4°C took from 6 to 10 days in shelf-life condition to ripen and showed negligible signs of internal browning. Microbiological alteration was mainly due to anthracnosi which mostly affected fruits stored at 8°C, while slight signs were revealed in those maintained at 4°C. In conclusion, film wrapping associated with the refrigeration temperature of 4°C seems suitable to prolong postharvest life of avocado fruit, reducing in the same time, physiological disorder and decay.

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