Quality of `Fantasia' Nectarines following Forced-air Heat Treatments for Insect Disinfestation

Abstract

`Fantasia' nectarine fruit [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch var. nectarina (Ait.) Maxim.], held at 0C for ≤ 1 week following harvest, were forced-air heated either immediately after removal from cold storage or after an overnight pretreatment at 20C. Fruit were heated to 41,43, or 46 ± lC for 24,36, or 48 hours. Following treatment, fruit were stored for 3 weeks at 0C, held at 20C for 1 or 5 days, and then assessed for quality. No significant damage, relative to nonheated controls, was observed in pretreated fruit subjected to 41C for 24 hours. Nonpretreated fruit given the same treatment showed only a slight increase in damage relative to controls. Higher temperatures and longer treatment times, however, were associated with an increased incidence of fruit damage (scald, internal browning, or decay). Heat treatment was associated with reduction in ethylene production and titratable acidity of the fruit following storage.