Durian fruit (D. zibethinus) cultivars D24 used in this study
were obtained from a farm in Bentong, Pahang Darul Makmur,
Malaysia (in mid August 2004). Ripened durian fruit that
dropped naturally were collected and transported within 2 h
on the same morning (30 ± 2 ◦C) to the laboratory. Fruit were
selected for uniformity of size and free of visual defects. The
fruit were dehusked (cut open the rind), by cutting along the
suture on the back of the locules. Upon cutting, four to six separated
fruit arils (350–420 g) were packed together. Care was
taken not to break the epidermis of the pulp when removing it
from the husk. The pulp was placed on polystyrene trays and
over-wrapped with a commercially and widely available lowdensity
polyethylene (LDPE) cling film (20m) with an oxygen
transmission rate of 4.86 × 10−6 nmol s−1 m m−2 Pa−1
at 25 ◦C and 75% RH. Dehusking was performed manually
in an air-conditioned room (20 ◦C) using good manufacturing
practices. Only pulp with no external injuries (epidermis
well-intacted) was selected. Each replicate was composed of
pulp from three trays and all data are the mean of three replicates.
Samples were stored at 4 ± 2 ◦C, between 90 and 95%
RH and ambient temperature, 28 ± 1 ◦C (70–85% RH) for 35
and 3 days, respectively. Fruit quality was evaluated initially
and on a daily basis for fruit stored at ambient temperature.
For fruit stored at 4 ◦C, analyses were carried out at 7-day
intervals.