Postharvest application of calcium chloride affects internal browning reduction during low temperature storage of 'sawi' pineapple

Abstract

Pineapple 'Sawi' fruit, a kind of 'Queen' pineapple natively growing in Southern Thailand, exhibits internal browning during low temperature storage. This research aimed to reduce browning inside 'Sawi' fruit during storage by applying postharvest calcium chloride pre-treatments. 'Sawi' fruit were applied with 1, 2 or 3% calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution via the peduncle for three days at storage temperatures of 13 and 20°C and then kept at the temperatures for two weeks followed by three days at 20°C. Calcium content, internal browning scores and solution uptake were investigated. Stored fruit treated with 2 or 3 % CaCl2 showed a significant reduction of internal browning symptoms compared with 1% CaCl2 and non-treated fruit. An increase in calcium content in the core of CaCl2 treatments was negatively correlated with the symptom and was promoted by solution uptake during pre-treatment transpiration. The results suggest that CaCl2 was beneficial for reducing internal browning of pineapple fruit under mild low temperature storage.