The effects of harvest date and CO₂-enriched storage atmospheres on the storage and shelf-life of strawberries

Summary

Strawberries, cv Cambridge Favourite, picked early during the 1979, 1980 and 1981 seasons were less susceptible to fungal spoilage during cool storage at 2°C or shelf-life at 15°C than fruit harvested from the same crops later during each of these seasons. Polyethylene-covered pallets of soft fruit commercially treated with a patented sealing and CO₂-injection system were found after transportation to contain between 3 and 16% CO₂, most containing <10%. In experiments to simulate conditions in commercially-treated pallet-packs of strawberries, 3, 5 or 10% CO₂ (in air) did not consistently retard spoilage of fruit by Botrytis cinerea or Mucor piriformis during six days at 2°C or during subsequent shelf-life in air at 15°C; 10% CO₂ also caused persistent off-flavours. Although these CO₂-enriched atmospheres did not reduce wastage or extend the post-harvest life of Cambridge Favourite strawberrries, the use of polyethylene covers on pre-cooled strawberries is recommended to help keep the fruit cool and reduce moisture loss during distribution.