Effect of high oxygen atmospheres on fruit decay and quality in Chinese bayberries, strawberries and blueberries

The effects of high oxygen atmospheres on postharvest decay and quality of Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Seib & Zucc. cv. Wumei), strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch. cv. Fengxiang) and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. cv. Duke) fruit were assessed. Freshly harvested Chinese bayberries, strawberries and blueberries were placed in jars continuously ventilated with air or with 40%, 60%, 80% or 100% O2 at 5 °C for 9, 14 and 35 days. While the quality parameters of titratable acidity, total soluble solids and surface color measurements were only slightly affected by the superatmospheric O2 concentrations in all the three berries, treatments with 60–100% O2 significantly inhibited fruit decay. The severity of decay decreased with increasing O2 concentration. The 100% O2 treatment was the most effective in controlling fruit decay on all the three berries during storage at 5 °C. When the berries were removed from the high oxygen atmospheres and held for an additional 2 days in air at 20 °C, fruit treated with 60–100% O2 also exhibited significantly less decay rate, suggesting that high oxygen atmospheres had residual effect on decay control. The 40% O2 treatment was ineffective in controlling fruit decay on all the three berries. These data suggest that high oxygen atmospheres may provide a potential alternative for postharvest decay control on these berry fruit.