The highest firmness
was found in the UV-C treatment and combined treatment, which
could be associated with the effect of radiation on the activity of the
enzymes involved in cell wall degradation. Barka et al. (2000)
suggested that cell wall degrading enzymes are one of the targets
of UV-C, leading to a reduction in the rate of cell wall degradation.
In contrast, the hot water treated fruits softened at a similar rate to
those of the control.