Recent developments on dynamic controlled atmosphere storage of apples-A review

The potential of dynamic controlled atmospheres (DCA) as a non-chemical treatment for maintaining the postharvest quality of apples during long-term cold storage has been an interest of researchers for decades. This article reviews the recent developments in DCA technology for storage of apples. The effects of DCA on physiological disorders, physico-chemical and sensory quality are discussed. Moreover, negative effects associated with DCA technology are also discussed. The study has shown that DCA maintains apple postharvest quality by reducing respiration rate and ethylene production. Ethylene-mediated physiological disorders such as superficial scald are completely suppressed by DCA storage. However, the effect of DCA on bitter pit incidence needs further investigation. The review also showed that fruit firmness and colour retention is considerable high in DCA stored apples. Although DCA maintains both the physico-chemical and organoleptic quality of apples, the high risk of CO2 and low O2 injury in DCA stored fruit remains a concern. Further research is required to refine and improve the DCA technology in order to minimize the risk of CO2 and low O2 injury during longterm storage.