ARS | Publication request: MEASUREMENT OF INTERNAL GAS CONCENTRATIONS OF CITRUS FRUIT TO DETERMINE PEEL DIFFUSIVITY AND OTHER AFFECTS OF COATINGS ON FRUIT QUALITY

Submitted to: Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 15, 2003
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: The gas exchange of fruit is important to postharvest quality because it affects respiration and retention of flavor volatiles. Gas exchange is markedly affected when fruit is coated, and therefore gas exchange information needs to be updated periodically as new coating formulations are developed. Measurement of interior gases have proven to be useful techniques for measurement of how coatings affect gas exchange, respiration and retention of flavor volatiles. For measurement of interior CO2 and O2 in two minutes, a hardy method involved use of two concentric packed columns sold by an equipment supplier. For measurement of gas diffusivity with ethane, interior gases were measured in less than one minute with another off-the-shelf column. These methods will be described as used for citrus fruit.