Abstract:
‘Unicon’ cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most highly perishable
horticultural crops due to its high water content and respiration rate. This study was carried out
to assess the effect of continuous application of CO2 (control [air], 3%, and 5%) on the quality
and shelf life of cherry tomato fruits stored at 10°C and 85 ± 5% relative humidity (RH) at two
maturity stages (pink and red). Continuous application of CO2 did not affect the soluble solids
content (SSC) or titratable acidity (TA) of the fruit at either maturity stage during storage.
However, there was a significant difference among treatments in terms of flesh firmness, cell
wall thickness, pectin content, vitamin C content, skin color, lycopene content, weight loss,
ethylene production rate, respiration rate, and acetaldehyde and ethanol production. Fruits
treated with 5% CO2 maintained their high quality with regards to vitamin C, skin color (a*),
lycopene content, weight loss, physiological parameters (ethylene production rate, respiration
rate, and volatile compounds), flesh firmness, cell wall thickness, and pectin content at both
maturity stages compared with 3% CO2 treatment and the control. Continuous application of
CO2 (5%) reduced the ethylene production rate and the production of volatile compounds during
storage. Therefore, cherry tomato ‘Unicon’ fruit can be stored for two weeks without losing
fruit quality at both maturity stages under continuous application of 5% CO2 as a postharvest
treatment
