Abstract
Apples are among the most consumed fruit all over the world. The combination of low temperature, low oxygen, and high carbon dioxide (controlled atmosphere) enable the storage of many apple varieties up to one season. The 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment and the application of very low oxygen levels during storage in dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) represent the two main breakthrough of the last decade in the postharvest sector. Both, positively affect the fruit quality after storage. The 1-MCP treatment enables the firmness and color retention by delaying the fruit ripening. The DCA based on chlorophyll
fluorescence (DCA-CF) technology has a significant effect in preventing the superficial scald on susceptible varieties. Despite these benefits, both affect the volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) synthesis and profile. In the present study we investigated 27 typical apple VOC’s with a GC-FID, offering a reliable and repeatable quantification of each single VOC’s compound. In the three years study on ‘Red Delicious’ apple variety, the influence on VOC’s profile of ultralow oxygen (ULO) and DCA-CF storage combined with 1-MCP treatment was investigated. Our results confirm that each storage technology affect the VOC’s profile differently. The combination with the 1-MCP treatment after 7 months storage and 7 days shelf life was
characterized by an immature similar VOC’s profile mainly characterized by aldehydes-green component as expected. The difference in the VOC’s profile between ULO and DCA-CF after storage, was flattened out after the shelf-life period. The impact of the novel storage technologies significantly affects not only the internal and external quality of the fruits but also the whole aromatic profile and its perception by the consumer. The increasing awareness of the consumer towards the aromatic compounds’ perception represents a new important challenge for the postharvest quality chain.