Influence of postharvest treatments on qualitative and chemical parameters of Tarocco blood orange fruits to be used for fresh chilled juice

- Blood oranges are appreciated for their high nutraceutical value.
- Cold treatment is able to extend Tarocco shelf life and increase anthocyanin levels.
- Cold treatment permits to use Tarocco fruits for fresh-chilled juice during summer.

Tarocco “Sant'Alfio” is a late ripening blood orange cultivar. Blood oranges are more and more appreciated from consumers for their high nutraceutical value due to the presence of bioactive compounds including vitamin C, polyphenols, flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids.The aim of this work is to set up a reliable protocol for postharvest storage of the very-late Tarocco “Sant'Alfio” orange to prolong the availability of this product in the market to be used for fresh chilled orange juice production.Fruits were subjected to three storage treatments (20 days at 1 °C plus 50 days at 4 °C; 70 days at 4 °C; 70 days at 20 °C). The results indicate that cold treatments, in particular at 4 °C constantly, can extend Tarocco “Sant'Alfio” shelf life enhancing total anthocyanin content. The defined protocols allow prolonging market availability of a high value product and could induce relevant benefits for the citrus industry and consumers.