Physiological and quality responses of Chinese 'Suli' pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd) to 1-MCP vacuum infiltration treatment.

BACKGROUND 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is a potent inhibitor of ethylene action and can maintain the quality and extend the shelf life of fresh produce. But the effectiveness of application of 1-MCP may depend upon its capacity to diffuse into the flesh tissue. However, to our knowledge, no study has been performed on the quality maintenance of pear fruit treated with 1-MCP vacuum infiltration. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of 1-MCP vacuum-infiltration treatment on post-harvest quality and physiology of 'Suli' pears (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd). RESULTS 1-MCP treatment led to decreased losses in flesh firmness and titratable acidity (TA), delayed change in skin colour and reduced polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) during cold storage. It also inhibited flesh browning and maintained a higher taste score after shelf life. These effects were higher when fruits were vacuum-infiltrated with 1-MCP. However, 1-MCP had little effect on total soluble solids (TSSs) and respiration rate of pear. CONCLUSION Overall, our results indicated that 1-MCP vacuum infiltration treatment was effective in controlling fruit ripening changes.