Quality of 'Ivanhoe' and 'Bluecrop' blueberry fruit transported by air and sea from Chile to North America

Abstract

We assessed the influence of fruit maturity (percent blue coloration), shipping mode [plane (air) vs. boat (sea)], and storage method [refrigerated air (RA) vs. controlled-atmosphere (CA)] on highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) quality. Fruit picked when 60% blue had lower soluble solids (SS), higher titratable acidity (TA), and a lower SS: TA ratio than 100% blue fruit both before and after 15 days of storage at 2 °C. They were also firmer and had better internal condition. Fruit shipped by sea to North America had poorer internal condition, were less firm, had fewer sound fruit, and lost more water than those arriving by air and stored for the duration of the sea shipment. CA storage (2 kPa O2 and 8 kPa CO2, 0 °C, 21 days) of fruit shipped by air did not enhance fruit quality in comparison with RA storage (ambient O2 and CO2, 0 °C, 21 days) except by minimizing mass loss. After an additional holding period (20 °C, 3 days) to simulate nonrefrigerated retail conditions, CA-stored fruit had less decay than RA-stored fruit. Maintaining low temperature during the holding period after CA or RA storage was critical in preventing decay, especially for the 'Ivanhoe', which was more susceptible to decay, softening, and internal breakdown than 'Bluecrop' across all treatments.