Fruit from each treatment were weighed and placed in 2.4 L jars
fitted with a rubber septum for 1 h at 25 C. One mL sample of the
internal atmosphere was extracted and injected into a gas chromatograph
equipped with a thermal conductivity detector for carbon dioxide. The column temperature
for carbon dioxide was at 50 C and helium was used as the
carrier gas. The respiration rate measured by CO2 production was
expressed in mg CO2 kg1 h1.
For ethylene, one mL sample was analyzed using a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame
ionization detector held at 80 C using nitrogen as the carrier gas.
Ethylene levels were determined and expressed as mL kg1 h1
.