Tested pomegranate fruits had a low respiration rate and a non-climacteric respiratory pattern. They produced trace amounts of C2H4 and showed no response to exogenous C2H4 treatments as measured by changes in skin colour, and juice colour and composition. Both CO2 and C2H4 production rates increased with temperature. The Q10 values for respiration were 3.4 between 0 and 10°C, 3.0 between 10 and 20°C, and 2.3 between 20 and 30°C. Storage at 5°C or lower resulted in chilling injury to the fruits, and the severity of the symptoms increased with time and temperature-decrease below 5°C. Chilling-injury symptoms, which became more visible after transfer to 20°C for 3 days, included brown discoloration of the skin, surface pitting, and increased susceptibility to decay organisms. Internal symptoms were manifested as pale colour of the arils and brown discoloration of the white segments separating the arils (locular septa). Fruits held at 5°C for 8 weeks showed only a slight brown discoloration of the locular septa. Temperature during storage for up to 3 months had little effect on soluble solids content, pH, and titratable acidity of the juice.