3. Results and discussion
3.1. Influence of partial ripening prior to storage on time to full ripeness and quality (Test 1A)
In Test 1A, as would be expected, partially ripening avocados with ethylene prior to cold storage initiated the softening process and lessened the amount of time needed to become fully ripe either following harvest or upon removal from cold storage (Fig. 1A and B). With increasing storage time both fruit that had received ripening (partial ripe and near ripe) became significantly softer (P ≤ 0.05), as did fruit that had not received any ripening prior to storage (harvest firm), although these unripe fruit showed very little loss in firmness during storage with the exception of 14 d at 12 °C ( Fig. 1A). The softening of unripe fruit in cold storage is in agreement with prior research ( Lizana et al., 1992), although Zauberman et al. (1977) found softening to only occur during storage at temperatures of 10 °C and above. Within either 4 d or 14 d of storage fruit held at 12 °C softened at a significantly more rapid rate than those at 5 °C (P ≤ 0.05) as reflected both in firmness following the storage treatments and days to ripeness. Differences between ripening treatments in terms of the number of days needed to achieve ripeness became less pronounced with increasing storage. After 14 d at 12 °C, less than a day of additional ripening after removal from cold storage was needed to achieve full ripeness for either of the treatments that had been received some degree of ripening prior to storage. Given the continued softening that occurs in avocados during storage, care would need to be taken by packers and distributors with partially-ripened fruit that they do not become over-ripe prior to reaching the consumer. Avocados become too soft in texture as the fruit becomes overripe, potentially rendering it less acceptable to consumers.
3. Results and discussion3.1. Influence of partial ripening prior to storage on time to full ripeness and quality (Test 1A)In Test 1A, as would be expected, partially ripening avocados with ethylene prior to cold storage initiated the softening process and lessened the amount of time needed to become fully ripe either following harvest or upon removal from cold storage (Fig. 1A and B). With increasing storage time both fruit that had received ripening (partial ripe and near ripe) became significantly softer (P ≤ 0.05), as did fruit that had not received any ripening prior to storage (harvest firm), although these unripe fruit showed very little loss in firmness during storage with the exception of 14 d at 12 °C ( Fig. 1A). The softening of unripe fruit in cold storage is in agreement with prior research ( Lizana et al., 1992), although Zauberman et al. (1977) found softening to only occur during storage at temperatures of 10 °C and above. Within either 4 d or 14 d of storage fruit held at 12 °C softened at a significantly more rapid rate than those at 5 °C (P ≤ 0.05) as reflected both in firmness following the storage treatments and days to ripeness. Differences between ripening treatments in terms of the number of days needed to achieve ripeness became less pronounced with increasing storage. After 14 d at 12 °C, less than a day of additional ripening after removal from cold storage was needed to achieve full ripeness for either of the treatments that had been received some degree of ripening prior to storage. Given the continued softening that occurs in avocados during storage, care would need to be taken by packers and distributors with partially-ripened fruit that they do not become over-ripe prior to reaching the consumer. Avocados become too soft in texture as the fruit becomes overripe, potentially rendering it less acceptable to consumers.
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