The quality attributes and gas production of fresh-cut kiwifruit slices (Actinidia deliciosa cv. Hayward) were studied to identify the optimum ranges of storage temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric composition. Also the effects of wounding, C 2 H 4 addition or removal, and chemical treatments (calcium, ascorbic acid, citric acid) on deterioration rate were investigated. Flesh softening was the major quality loss of stored fresh-cut kiwifruit slices. Fresh-cut kiwifruit slices had a shelf-life of 9-12 days if treated with 1% CaCl 2 or 2% Ca lactate, and stored at 0-2°C and >90% relative humidity in an C 2 H 4 -free atmosphere of 2 to 4 kPa O 2 and/or 5 to 10 kPa CO 2 .

Black-ripe olives (Olea europaea cv. Ascolano, Manzanillo, Mission, and Sevillano), intended for oil extraction, were stored at 5 °C for 6−8 weeks to evaluate their postharvest physiology and quality changes. Also, samples of olives were placed at 20 °C for 2 weeks to determine the deterioration rate of four cultivars at ambient temperature. Fruit quality evaluations included color, visual quality, fruit firmness, mass loss, and water and oil content. Decay incidence, physiological disorders, and respiration and ethylene production rates of the olives were also recorded. Olive oil quality was determined by analysis of titratable acidity, peroxide value, K 232 and K 270 coefficients, and fatty acid composition of the olives. Fruit and oil quality of Ascolano and Manzanillo cultivars deteriorated more rapidly than that of Mission and Sevillano olives. Black-ripe Manzanillo and Ascolano olives could be stored with good air circulation at 5 °C for 2 and 4 weeks, respectively, whereas Mission and Sevillano cultivars could be stored for 6−8 weeks at 5 °C with maintenance of good fruit and oil quality. Keywords: Olea europaea; olive; cultivar; fatty acids; olive oil; quality; storage

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During three consecutive years, 'Bing' sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) trees were treated during dormancy with the dormancy-manipulating compounds, CH2N2 or CaNH4NO3, or were treated with the plant growth regulator GA3 at straw color development. Fruit of a range of maturities, based on skin color, were evaluated for quality following harvest and simulated transit and market storage conditions. At comparable maturities, CH2N2 and GA3 fruit were of similar firmness and were consistently firmer than CaNH4NO3-treated and untreated fruit across years, storage regimes, and maturities. CaNH4NO3 and untreated fruit were of similar firmness. CH2N2-treated cherries were larger than fruit of other treatments, but only marginally with respect to variation in fruit size between years. Contraction of fruit diameter occurred after 3 days storage, but ceased thereafter up to 11 days storage. Soluble solids and titratable acidity varied between years, storage regimes, and maturities. Strong interactions of treatment and year concealed possible treatment effects on these indices. GA3 fruit contained fewer surface pits in one year while CH2N2 fruit suffered less shrivel in another. The earlier harvest date for CH2N2 fruit often avoided higher field temperatures and the resulting promotion of postharvest shrivel. Pitting and shrivel were more prevalent in stored fruit. Brown stem discoloration developed in storage, occurring most frequently in mature fruit, although methyl bromide-fumigated fruit were particularly susceptible. This disorder was more common in GA3 fruit during years of high incidence. Chemical names used: gibberellic acid (GA3); calcium ammonium nitrate (CaNH4NO3); hydrogen cyanamide (CH2N2).

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The effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), modified atmosphere packaging (Xtend, StePac L.A. Ltd., Tefen, Israel) and their combination were investigated on storage and quality maintenance of tomatoes cv. "Perla" harvested at two maturity stages. 1-MCP treatment was performed in 1,000 nL/L doses for 24 h while untreated fruits were considered as control.Fruits were stored at 12C with 90% relative humidity for 21 days. Weight loss, skin color, elasticity, lycopene, ascorbic acid, soluble solid content (SSC),titratable acidity (TA) and SSC/TA were evaluated with the intervals of 7 days. MAP with and without 1-MCP reduced weight loss and maintained to elasticity compared with control and 1-MCP alone.Nevertheless,1-MCP or its combination with MAP significantly delayed changes in parameters related to fruit ripening, such as skin color,lycopene,TA and SSC/TA increase in both ripening stages.Overall results indicated that the combination of 1,000 nL/L 1-MCP and modified atmosphere package was the most effective treatment in both ripening stages. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSTomato is a climacteric fruit and its ripening depends on ethylene production physiology. 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) prevents ethylene action by blocking ethylene receptors and extends the storage life of tomatoes. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of fresh fruits and vegetables refers to the still evolving technique of matching the respiration of the product with the O2 and CO2 permeability of packages in order to modify the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations of the atmosphere to desired levels within the package. Recent studies revealed that combined applications of 1-MCP and MAP have significant effects on maintaining storage quality of banana, litchi and plums. This study was conducted on the investigation of the effects of 1-MCP and MAP combination on storage duration and quality of tomatoes harvested at different maturity stages. ISSN 0146-9428 Journal of Food Quality

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`Bing' sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) trees were treated with hydrogen cyanamide (CH2N2) or calcium ammonium nitrate (CaNH4NO3) during dormancy, or gibberellic acid (GA3) 26 days before harvest during three consecutive years. Fruit were evaluated at harvest for sensory taste quality using twenty trained panelists sampling for firmness, sweetness, tartness, and cherry flavor. Nondestructive instrumental firmness preceded destructive sensory firmness on the same untreated and GA3-treated cherries in one year when used as a supplementary evaluation. Sensory firmness was consistently higher in GA3 fruit and to a lesser extent in CH2N2 fruit than in CaNH4NO3 and untreated fruit. Instrumental firmness of GA3 fruit did not increase significantly compared with untreated fruit yet instrumental firmness of each treatment correlated relatively well with perceived sensory firmness. Sensory sweetness and cherry flavor scored very similarly, yet both attributes simultaneously varied between treatments across the years. Perceived sensory tartness of treated fruit was variable among years; yet, on average, was rated among treated and untreated fruit as similar. Under the assumption that elevated sensory firmness, sweetness, and cherry flavor intensity reflects improved sweet cherry quality, GA3 fruit were rated of higher quality than untreated fruit given their increased firmness and similar or occasionally elevated sweetness and cherry flavor intensity. CH2N2 fruit maintained quality similar to that of untreated fruit, despite often having marginally higher firmness, due to similar or reduced ratings for sweetness and cherry flavor intensity. Notwithstanding similar firmness between CaNH4NO3 and untreated cherries, sensory quality of CaNH4NO3-treated cherries was reduced due to their often-diminished levels of perceived sweetness and cherry flavor.