Changes of Postharvest Quality in ‘Bagdadagi’ Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus L.) by Storage Temperature

Abstract

‘Bagdadagi’ cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruits with half light green skin and tiny white spines grown at greenhouse of the Cheonan-city in the middle part of Korea were harvested in October in 2013, and then stored at 0, 5, 10, 13 ℃, and room temperature for 25 days. Quality and sensory parameters such as CO2 production, weight loss, soluble solids contents, firmness, skin color, yellowing index, overall quality were evaluated during storage. The fruits stored under low temperatures showed the reduced weight loss as well as CO2 production compared with fruits stored in room temperature. But, The fruits stored at 0, 5 ℃ showed high increase of CO2 production after 2 days transfer to room temperature. Soluble solids contents, firmness showed the smallest changes in fruits at all treatments during storage. Chilling injury symptom of watery surface pitting was found in fruits stored at 0 and 5 ℃ and decay after transfer to room temperature. Yellowing was severe in fruits stored at 13 ℃ and room temperature. From the results, storage of at 10℃ was selected as an optimal temperature of ‘Bagdadagi’ cucumber for maintaining storage life up to 20 days.