Impact of heat treatment on ethylene production and yellowing of modified atmosphere packaged rocket leaves

In spite of the increasing importance of heat treatment technology as a way to retard yellowing in green vegetables and retain postharvest quality, data on rocket (Eruca sativa Mill.) are still absent. The aim of this research was to find an effective combined temperature-time treatment to retard yellowing and to determine how that treatment affects ethylene production in packaged salad rocket leaves. An effective temperature-time heat treatment of dipping leaves in a thermostatically controlled tap water bath at 50 °C for 20-40 s was found to retard yellowing without damaging rocket leaves. Although heat treatment at 50 °C for 30 s accelerated ethylene production in packaged rocket leaves, it extended their postharvest life at 8 °C from 5 to 10 d, without any appreciable effect on quality attributes.