EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND HOT WATER TREATMENT ON POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF TUNISIAN ‘GIALLA’ CACTUS PEAR FRUIT

Cactus pear fruit [Opuntia ficus-indica Mill. (L)] are highly perishable and storage at temperatures below 10°C promotes chilling injury (CI). We examined the effects of hot water treatment at 53°C for 1 min on the quality of Tunisian cactus pear ‘Gialla’ stored for 30 days at 5 and 9°C plus 4 additional days at 20°C to simulate marketing period (SMP). HW treatment significantly reduced CI symptoms and decay in fruit stored at 5°C but no effect was observed at 9°C. SSC, titratable acidity (TA), maturity index (MI), fruit and pulp firmness, and colour parameters have not been affected by HW treatment.
Fruit stored at 5°C had better visual quality and showed significantly lower decay incidence and less changes in L, a, b, and Chroma values, and in TA and MI. At this temperature we also observed better pulp and fruit firmness.
It is concluded that hot water treatment followed by 5°C storage temperature could maintain acceptable quality of ‘Gialla’ cactus pear fruit for up to one month.

VI International Postharvest Symposium

J. Ben Abda, K. Aunallah, S. Sdiri, A. Salvador-Pèrez

Opuntia, chilling injury, decay, heat treatment, colour, storage

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.877.208