New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Selection of a surface coating and optimisation of its concentration for use
on `Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) fruit
JASON W. JOHNSTON
NIGEL H. BANKS
Centre for Postharvest and Refrigeration Research and
Department of Plant Science
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Abstract Effects of surface coatings on gas exchange
characteristics of `Hass' avocados (
Persea americana Mill.) were used to
select a suitable coating and to optimise its concentration for use on avocado
fruit at 20deg.C, 60% relative humidity. Of six different surface coatings
used, "Avocado wax" provided the greatest level of benefit (reduction in mass
loss and enhanced sheen) for a given level of risk (modification of internal
oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressures). At the other extreme, 2%
carboxymethylcellulose provided no benefit but substantially increased risk of
fermentation. "Apple clear" treated fruit had lowest rates of mass loss, but
had poor visual quality. Of the Avocado wax concentrations assessed, 11% was
the optimum. Concentrations greater than this provided marginal further gains
in the reduction of mass loss, but imposed unacceptable levels of risk of
anaerobiosis in the fruit. A packhouse trial confirmed this concentration as
optimum, but achieved somewhat lower levels of benefit.
Keywords avocado; Persea americana Mill.; carbon
dioxide; fermentation; gas exchange; internal atmosphere; mass loss;
optimisation; oxygen; respiration; skin permeance; surface coating; water loss;
wax
H97-35
Received 19 August 1997; accepted 31 March 1998
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (795K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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