POSTHARVEST LECITHIN APPLICATION IMPROVES STORABILITY OF ‘PRIMOSOLE’ POMEGRANATES

Husk scald is a form of chilling injury of pomegranate consisting of a super-ficial discoloration of the skin which generally does not affect the seeds (arils) or the white segments which contains the seeds, but in advanced stages of development can favor decay.
Generally, husk scald develops faster at temperatures higher than those at which other forms of chilling injury occur.
The objective of this experiment was to assess the impact of a treatment with a soy lecithin based commercial formulation (Xedabio) on the manifestation of husk scald of ‘Primosole’ pomegranates.
Fruit were dipped in water or in 1% aqueous mixture of Xedabio, alone or in combination with fludioxonil at 600 mg L^-1, and stored at 8°C and 90-95% RH for 6 or 12 weeks plus one additional week of simulated marketing conditions at 20°C and 65-70% RH. Weight loss, husk scald and decay were the main cause of commercial deterioration.
Xedabio, especially in combination with fludioxonil, effectively maintained the commercial value of fruit during the first 6 weeks of storage and the subsequent week of simulated marketing conditions; but after 12 weeks storage, weight loss and peel disorders drastically reduced visual appearance even in Xedabio treated fruit.
Despite the severity of physiological disorders, minor changes occurred in nutritional compounds as well as in total antioxidant capacity over the storage period in both treatments.

XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Postharvest Technology in the Global Market

S. D’Aquino, M. Schirra, A. Gentile, E. Tribulato, S. La Malfa, A. Palma

Punica granatum L., chilling injury, decay, edible coating, fludioxonil, lecithin, nutraceutical compounds

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.934.96