Impact of 1-methylcyclopropene treatment on the sensory quality of ‘Bartlett’ pear fruit

• The eating quality of ‘Bartlett’ pear treated with 1-MCP and ethylene was assessed.
• 1-MCP slowed fruit ripening and enhanced sweetness, juiciness and pear aroma.
• Fermented aroma, gritty texture and tart taste were minimized by 1-MCP treatment.
• Ethylene was detrimental to sensory traits if applied to mid and late-season fruit.
• Sensory profiles of 1-MCP-treated pears were highly stable across the harvests.

The ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), has been commercially used to extend the storage life of European pear fruit and to allow shipment to distant markets. However, the influence of 1-MCP on the ability of fruit to ripen to an acceptable sensory quality has not been investigated in ‘Bartlett’ pear, one of the most aromatic of pear fruit. In the current study, early-, mid- and late-season ‘Bartlett’ pear fruit were treated with 0.6 μL L−1 1-MCP at 0 °C for 24 h, 100 μL L−1 ethylene at 20 °C for 24 h, or untreated before immediate transfer to 20 °C for ripening until eating soft (13 N firmness). Fruit from each treatment were subjected to objective and sensory quality evaluation once ripe. Sensory quality showed differences related to harvest maturity; the importance of harvest maturity depended on the treatment. Treatment with 1-MCP effectively slowed fruit ripening and therefore extended postharvest life, but also resulted in fully ripened pears with more desirable sensory traits, as compared with ethylene-treated and untreated pears. The enhanced sensory quality was related to higher sweetness, juiciness and pear aroma and reduced fermented aroma, gritty texture and tart taste. In addition, the sensory profiles of 1-MCP-treated pears were more stable among fruit from the three harvest dates than the ethylene-treated pears, which exhibited very different sensory profiles between early- and late-season fruits.