Effects of pre‐shipping storage conditions on buttercup squash quality rots

Abstract

Buttercup squash fruit (Cucurbita maxima D.) 'Delica' grown at the Pukekohe Research Centre, New Zealand, and harvested at commercial maturity were subjected to combinations of different storage temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C) and storage durations (7, 14, 21, and 28 days). Fruits were then stored at 12-14°C for 14 days to simulate transportation by refrigerated ship to Japan. After simulated refrigerated shipping (SRS), fruit were held for 7 days at ambient temperatures (15-20°C) before being assessed for incidence of rots on fruit, weight loss, dry matter content of flesh, soluble solids of flesh, flesh colour, and skin colour. Rots occurred only on fruit that had been stored at 5 or 10°C before SRS as a result of chilling injury. All fruit stored at 5°C for 28 days had some degree of rot. With the exception of fruit stored at 5°C, the rate of weight loss increased with increasing temperature and duration of pre-shipping storage. Soluble solids concentration (%) levels remained between 10 and 11 % for all treatments except for fruit that were stored for 28 days at 20°C (11.5%) or 25°C (13.0%). Dry matter content remained reasonably constant regardless of pre-shipping storage temperature and duration (29.0-33.5%). Flesh colour of fruit became darker (more orange) during storage, and the rate of colour change became greater as temperature and H98016Received 20 March 1998; accepted 27 August 1999 duration of storage increased. Skin colour did not change in fruit that were stored at 10°C before SRS but became lighter green (more yellow) at the other temperatures with increasing duration of storage.