QUALITY CHANGES OF TEMPERATE-ZONE GROWN 'STAR RUBY' GRAPEFRUIT DURING STORAGE AT CHILLING AND NON-CHILLING TEMPERATURES

This work was an attempt to collect information on temperate-zone grown ‘Star Ruby’ grapefruit storage ability and chilling sensitivity. Ripe fruit were harvested late November 2007 and stored at commercial storage facilities at 2 or 6°C and at a room at around 16°C for 48 and 87 days. Fruit quality was evaluated initially, at each removal from storage and after 5 days shelf life at 22°C. Analyzed parameters included peel thickness and water content, percent juice, soluble solids content (SSC), acidity and total antioxidant content. At 2°C, SSC, acidity and pericarp water content remained unchanged, total antioxidant capacity slightly increased, and juice content decreased as storage time proceeded and after shelf-life. At 16°C, SSC and acidity increased, juice content did not change, while peel water content decreased together with total antioxidant capacity with storage time and shelf life. Quality characteristics of fruit stored at 6°C had values mostly between the results presented for the two temperature regimes above. Minor chilling injury symptoms as pitting were observed in very few fruit during 3 months storage at all the tested temperatures. It is possible that climate conditions of the production zone among other factors resulted in more resistant fruit to chilling injury pitting.