Medlar fruit are harvested from October through November. Medlar fruit is a climacteric, highly perishable pome fruit and loses commercial acceptability within 3 to 5 days after harvest.
In the last two to three decades there have been major changes in food consumption habits, including a significant increase in the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables due to health concerns. These changes have created the need for the development and application of new technologies to prolong transportation and storage potential and maintain the postharvest
quality of these perishable commodities. Controlled atmospheres, with low-O2 and high-CO2, have been used successfully to reduce decay, maintain quality and extend storage life in many fruit