Articles
Dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) a chance for sustainable fruit storage
Article number
1386_13
Pages
95 – 100
Language
English
Abstract
Modern pome fruit storage systems developed from cool storage in air to CA-storage and further to ULO-storage.
Recently, DCA storage has developed and oxygen concentrations in storage have been lowered. Low oxygen stress in stored fruit can be determined non-destructively from either chlorophyll fluorescence (DCA-CF), the release of anaerobic products (DCA-Eth), the respiratory quotient (DCA-RQ), or the calculation of the CO2-respiration (DCA-CD, carbon dioxide) like FruitAtmo®. Oxygen levels can be dynamically changed depending on the level of fruit stress due to anaerobic metabolism.
In very low oxygen storage, respiration is reduced to a minimum, ripening processes are slowed down and fruit quality can be maintained over long time periods.
The anaerobic compensation point (ACP) is similar the lowest oxygen level (LOL) tolerated by the apple and the LOL is normally between 0.1 and 0.8 kPa O2. Storage below the ACP will cause anaerobic metabolism.
In DCA-storage, apple flesh firmness and skin green colour can be better maintained compared with ULO storage.
As well, the incidence of superficial scald, skin spots and fungal rots can also be reduced.
DCA can increase aromatic compounds that result from controlled anaerobic metabolism, which, up to a certain point, can occur without any loss of fruit quality.
The new DCA-CD FruitAtmo method has the advantage of LOL determination and oxygen control, but also allows the storage temperature to be adjusted based on the fruit needs to reduce energy usage during storage.
Recently, DCA storage has developed and oxygen concentrations in storage have been lowered. Low oxygen stress in stored fruit can be determined non-destructively from either chlorophyll fluorescence (DCA-CF), the release of anaerobic products (DCA-Eth), the respiratory quotient (DCA-RQ), or the calculation of the CO2-respiration (DCA-CD, carbon dioxide) like FruitAtmo®. Oxygen levels can be dynamically changed depending on the level of fruit stress due to anaerobic metabolism.
In very low oxygen storage, respiration is reduced to a minimum, ripening processes are slowed down and fruit quality can be maintained over long time periods.
The anaerobic compensation point (ACP) is similar the lowest oxygen level (LOL) tolerated by the apple and the LOL is normally between 0.1 and 0.8 kPa O2. Storage below the ACP will cause anaerobic metabolism.
In DCA-storage, apple flesh firmness and skin green colour can be better maintained compared with ULO storage.
As well, the incidence of superficial scald, skin spots and fungal rots can also be reduced.
DCA can increase aromatic compounds that result from controlled anaerobic metabolism, which, up to a certain point, can occur without any loss of fruit quality.
The new DCA-CD FruitAtmo method has the advantage of LOL determination and oxygen control, but also allows the storage temperature to be adjusted based on the fruit needs to reduce energy usage during storage.
Authors
D.A. Neuwald, F.R. Thewes, R. Wirth, F. Büchele, N. Klein, A. Brackmann
Keywords
fruit quality, physiological disorders, decay, oxygen, temperature, energy saving, FruitAtmo®
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