Cold storage conditions affect the persistence of diphenylamine, folpet and imazalil residues in ‘Pink Lady®’ apples

‘Pink Lady®’ apples (Malus domestica) fruit were harvested at commercial maturity treated with three different agrochemical products, and stored at 1 °C under either air or controlled atmosphere conditions (2.5 kPa O2 + 3 kPa CO2 and 1 kPa O2 + 2 kPa CO2) for 15 and 28 weeks. Diphenylamine, folpet and imazalil contents in both skin and flesh were simultaneously determined after cold storage plus a simulated marketing period of 1 or 7 days at 20 °C. Results showed that apples stored in 2.5 kPa O2 + 3 kPa CO2 retained higher contents of diphenylamine residues in comparison with those stored in 1 kPa O2 + 2 kPa CO2 or refrigerated air. Significant differences in imazalil skin contents were found throughout the simulated marketing period at 20 °C after storage for 28 weeks in controlled atmospheres.