The effect of cold storage temperatures on respiration rate and physical quality of crownless pineapple (Ananas comosus L.)

Abstract

Pineapple is a horticultural product with high consumption and production. Also, this fruit has a perishable characteristic. It is influenced by physiological processes, which are respiration and transpiration. It needs good handling during the post-harvest process to control the freshness and quality, especially in the storage process. Thus, it is important to know the effect of low storage temperature on the respiration rate and physical quality of pineapple. In this study, a sample conducted triplicate and observed over a period by treating crownless pineapple in cold storage and storage temperature maintain at 7°C and 90% of relative humidity. The physical quality properties are weight loss, water content, shell and flesh colour, acidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and hardness. The respiration sample conducted a closed method with the plastic jar as a container to observe the changes of O2 and CO2 at 2, 4, 12, 24 hours intervals over 7.5 days of storage. The physical quality properties sample put in a carton box to observe the changes in the quality at 2-3 days intervals over 24 days. The resulted of respiration rate and physical properties changes slowly during storage. Some sample observed chilling injury with the black spot on the shell of the fruit. Overall, the weight loss, water content, and hardness decreased, and the colour changed from green to yellow in half of the fruit during storage.