THE BENEFITS OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE OF ETHANOL-TREATED GRAPES

Grape storage requires stringent control of decay caused by Botrytis cinerea.
The commercial practice is dependent on SO₂ as a fumigant which is applied by various means with well know advantages and downsides.
Many alternative technologies were developed over the years, most of them with limited efficacy or applicability.
Modified atmosphere (MA) of table grapes suffers from a narrow threshold between efficacy and damage due to high level op CO₂ in the film.
We have demonstrated in the past that dipping table grapes in ethanol after harvest has a very pronounced effect on prevention of decay.
However, ethanol is not expected to prevent latent infections from developing decay nests during prolonged storage.
We now demonstrate that if we first treat grapes of cv. ‘Superior’ with ethanol and then subject them to MA using Xtend films, we can achieve a synergistic effect.
The advantage of the Xtend film is mainly in its water conductance, which prevents accumulation of free water, often the limiting factor in MA. We also demonstrate that if undesired aftertaste does build up, one day exposure to ambient air is sufficient to remove it.

V International Postharvest Symposium

A. Lichter, Y. Zutahy, T. Kaplunov, Z. Shacham, N. Aharoni, S. Lurie

Vitis vinifera L., decay, taste

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.682.232