STORAGE QUALITY OF McINTOSH APPLES AS AFFECTED BY REMOVAL OF ETHYLENE FROM THE STORAGE ATMOSPHERE

Preclimacteric McIntosh apples were maintained under low (average 6 ppm) C2H4 and high (average 1,570 ppm) C2H4 levels for 189 days at 3.3 °C. Subsequent analysis of the fruit revealed that the low C2H4 storage condition had maintained approximately 0.9 kg (2 lb.) greater firmness in the fruit than had the high C2H4 condition. This extra firmness persisted for more than a week at room temperature. Acidity levels and soluble solids content were increased slightly by the low C2H4 treatment. Low C2H4 treatment caused both a lower internal C2H4 content of the fruit and a lower level of C2H4 emission by the whole fruit than did storage in high levels of C2H4. The low C2H4 storage conditions reduced the incidence of core browning.