HOT WATER TREATMENT OF SELECTED ORGANIC APPLE AND PEAR CULTIVARS

As one of several alternatives, organic fruit may be hot-water dipped prior to long-term storage in order to reduce postharvest decay.
This method has been tested at Agroscope’s Institute of Food Sciences during 3 years with selected apple (‘Arlet’, ‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Otava’, ‘Topaz’) and pear (‘Kaiser Alexander’, ‘Uta’) cultivars originating from organic, low-residue IP (integrated production) and IP orchards.
Hot water treatment achieved a 2- to 10- fold reduction of the spoilage level during long-term CA-storage compared to non-treated organic apple and pear fruit.
However, the efficacy of the treatment and the way it was carried out was highly dependent on the cultivar considered.
The apple cultivar ‘Arlet’ did not need any hot water treatment, because this cultivar was hardly susceptible to decay.
The other apple and pear cultivars considered in the trials required a treatment when produced under organic conditions.
Based on the temperature sensitivity of the fruit with regard to temperature injuries, the threshold temperatures of the hot water treatment were for apples in the range of 50 to 52°C (duration 150 s) and for pears at a temperature of 49°C (duration 180 s).

V International Conference Postharvest Unlimited

F. Gasser, C. Good, A. Naef

Malus domestica, Pyrus communis, low residue, organic production, fruit rot

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1079.49