Responses of ‘Clemenules Clementine’ and ‘W. Murcott’ mandarins to low oxygen atmospheres

The potential of controlled atmospheres (CA) of 1, 3, and 5 kPa oxygen (balance N2) to extend the storage life and maintain the quality of two mandarin cultivars was investigated. Low oxygen (O2) atmospheres at 5 °C for 8 weeks of storage slightly decreased respiration rates but had no effect on ethylene production rates, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), or flavor compared to the air control after being transferred to air at 20 °C for 3 days of simulated marketing conditions. ‘Clemenules Clementine’ and ‘W. Murcott Afourer’ mandarins (Citrus reticulata) kept in 1, 3, and 5 kPa O2 generally had higher ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations than those kept in air. However, fruit kept in 3 and 5 kPa O2 showed similar amounts of ethyl acetate compared to fruit kept in air. The 1 kPa O2 atmosphere reduced decay incidence in ‘Clemenules Clementine’ fruit during storage at 5 °C for up to 4 weeks but enhanced the decay incidence in ‘W. Murcott’ fruit. Based on these findings, ‘Clemenules Clementine’ and ‘W. Murcott’ mandarins (waxed and fungicide-treated) could best be stored in air at 5 °C and 90–95% relative humidity for up to 5 and 7 weeks, respectively.