Use of chlorine dioxide fumigation to alleviate enzymatic browning of harvested ‘Daw’ longan pericarp during storage under ambient conditions

•Gaseous chlorine dioxide fumigation can reduce pericarp browning of longan fruit.•10 mg/L chlorine dioxide is the most effective dose in reducing pericarp browning.•Gaseous chlorine dioxide fumigation can maintain longan fruit quality.

Pericarp browning reduces both the shelf-life and market value of harvested longan fruit stored at room temperature. Our study investigated the efficiency of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) fumigation at reducing pericarp browning of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) cv. Daw. Fresh longan fruit were fumigated with 0 (control), 2.5, 5, 10 and 25 mg/L ClO2 for 10 min, before being packed in cardboard boxes, and stored at 25 ± 1 °C, RH 82 ± 5% for 7 days. Fruit treated with ClO2 had a lower browning index, but higher hue angle (true color), L* (lightness) and b* (yellowness) values than non-treated fruit. The 10 and 25 mg/L ClO2 treatments were the most effective at extending shelf-life from 1 to 5 days, compared with the control, by reducing pericarp browning, the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), disease development and by maintaining the highest total phenolic content. However, quality acceptance of fruit treated with 10 mg/L ClO2 was higher than fruits treated with 25 mg/L, as determined by odor and flavor. Consequently, ClO2 fumigation at a concentration of 10 mg/L was considered to be the most effective treatment to reduce pericarp browning of longan, whilst maintaining fruit quality.