EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND GAS COMPOSITION ON RESPIRATORY BEHAVIOUR OF TREE-RIPE 'IRWIN' MANGO

Effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) levels on quality of 'Palmer' mangoes under controlled atmosphere storage

With the objective to evaluate the modifications in the fruit quality, 'Palmer' mangoes were stored at 12.8 °C for 30 days in controlled atmosphere storage that contained a low level of oxygen (5 kPa) which was associated with increasing levels of carbon dioxide CO₂ (0, 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 kPa CO₂). Controlled atmosphere storage did not effect mango respiration. However, transfer mangoes, that were previously stored at high levels of CO₂ (5 kPa O₂ + 15 kPa CO₂ and 5 kPa O₂ + 20 kPa CO₂) to ambient temperature presented higher respiratory rates. No significant effects of increasing CO₂ levels on color (L*, chromaticity, and hue angle), firmness, physical-chemical parameter and carbohydrate metabolism (total and reducing sugars, soluble pectin) were observed. After transfer to ambient temperature the mangoes ripened normally without any signs of CO₂ injury. Therefore, the increment levels of CO₂ neither improved the quality of the 'Palmer' mangoes nor presented a synergistic effect with low-oxygen when compared to 5 kPa O₂-control.