Postharvest Physiology and Storage - Tropical and Subtropical Fruits: Postharvest Physiology, Processing and Packaging - page 27

Fruit response to chilling injury can be affected by several
pre- and postharvest factors, which could have a cumula-
tive effect and should be considered for proper handling
(Brown, 1986). Among them are the cultivar, degree of
ripening, relative humidity, atmospheric composition, and
postharvest treatment.
Chilling injury symptoms vary among fruits (Table 2.6),
which include surface lesions, water-soaked tissues, inter-
nal and external discoloration, failure to ripen, composi-
tional changes, and an overall accelerated deterioration of
the fruit. Banana ( Musa AAA ) is very sensible to these dam-
ages; it has to be handled above 12.5 ◦ C or for short periods
(4 days) at 10 ◦ C(Pantastico et al., 1967). If stored at 5 ◦ C,
damages are shown in less than 24 hours. Symptoms in-
clude vascular tissue darkening, skin discoloration, pitting,

failure to ripen, flavor losses, pulp hardening, and increased
sensitiveness to mechanical injury (Murata, 1969; Couey,
1982; Wang, 1990).
Pesis et al. (1999) reported red spots, pitting, and black
spots in mangoes of 'Keitt' and 'Tommy Atkins' culti-
vars, while Chaplin et al. (1991) reported failure in color
development of the pulp and fruit skin and Nair et al.
(2004) observed suppression of volatile aroma compound
production.
Martins et al. (2003) found similar damages in purple
mombin when stored below 14.5 ◦ C, while Pereira et al.
(2003) reported that this fruit susceptibility to chilling
injury decreased as the fruit ripened. Chilling injury symp-
toms in purple mombin and mango ('Tommy Atkins' cul-
tivar) are shown in Figs. 2.3 and 2.4, respectively.

Table 2.6. Chilling injury symptoms occurring in selected fruits during storage.

Fruit Symptom

Avocado Flesh and vascular fiber discoloration and darkening (brown or grayish), failure to lose firmness,

incomplete ripening, reduced ethylene production, changes in respiratory pattern, off-odors,
off-flavors, pitting, skin darkening

Apple Flesh darkening and softening, heart darkening

Banana Vascular strands and sapburn channels darkening, skin discoloration and gloss loss, dull color when

ripened, hardening of central placenta, failure to ripen, flavor loss, increased susceptibility to
mechanical injury

Breadfruit Abnormal ripening, dull brown discoloration

Chayote Dull brown discoloration, flesh darkening, pitting

Grapefruit Scald, pitting, watery breakdown

Guava Pulp injury, decay

Purple Mombin Pitting, dark spots

Lemon Pitting, membranous staining, red blotch

Lime Pitting, turning tan with time

Litchi Skin browning

Mango Grayish discoloration on the skin, pitting, aroma and flavor losses, increased susceptibility to

postharvest deterioration

Mangosteen Hardening and browning of the cortex

Melon Cantaloupe (pitting, surface decay); honeydew (reddish-tan discoloration, pitting, surface decay,

failure to ripen)

Orange Pitting, brown spots

Papaya Failure to ripen, increased susceptibility to fungal deterioration, off-odors, off-flavors, dark spots in

the skin, pitting

Pineapple Brownish to black discoloration of the fruit flesh, dark and water-soaked tissues nearby the heart

(related with IB [internal browning damage]), increased susceptibility to fungal decay

Plantain Dark spots, hardening of the flesh associated to failure to ripen

Rambutan darkening of exocarp

Watermelon Pitting, off flavor

Source: Brown (1986); Cerdas (1999); Morris (1982); Paull (1990); Pesis et al. (1999); Wang (1990).