ANGELFRESH(1-MCP) Application for Apple Cold Storage

1. Apple varieties and storage characteristics

Apple is a typical respiratory climacteric fruit, postharvest with an obvious after-ripen process, the starch converted into sugar gradually, acidity reduced, the color turned to be yellow, hardness decreased, and it fully show the specialty of the apple good quality. Further storage, the apples will become soft texture, brittle, juicy, and then decline, deterioration, rot because of consumption of nutrients within the fruit.Apple varieties from the world: Champion, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Idared, Red Jonaprince, Ligol, Jonagored, Najdared, Gloster, Fuji, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, JazzTM.

Most of these apples can be stored in the cold storage and treat with ANGELFRESH(1-MCP) to extend the shelf life.

2. Note of picking

Apple collection time affects yield and quality. If pick up too early, fruit development is not complete with slight weight, poor appearance color, low sugar content and no good quality. If pick up too late, flash become soft fast and disease resistance is low, then the apples will be not suitable for storage.

2.1 Suitable harvest period

2.1.1 Appearance including fruit size, shape, color and so on can achieve the inherent traits of the apples. The seeds are black and the fruit powder is matured.

2.1.2 Fruit hardness:The earlier ripen, the lower hardness. Hardness of stored apples should be slightly more than that of apples for eating.

2.1.3 During the period of fruit growth, each cultivar has a relatively stable number of days from the flowering period to the mature stage. The early maturing varieties are from 100 to 110 days, the ripening varieties are 120 to 140 days, and the late mature varieties are 140 to 175 days. Fruit growth periods from different regions are different because of temperature difference, and the harvest period is also different. As per local habit harvesting period, the best picking time is ±10 days when the apples ripe completely.

2.2 Notion of picking process

Pick apples gently to avoid mechanical damage.

20 days before picking, do not use nitrogen fertilizer, 5 days before picking, do not irrigate the orchard. Donot pick up when rain within 3 days or morning dew or fog. Best appropriate picking time is when morning dew has been dried, and the temperature is not high, or after 4 pm. After picking, the apples should be put in a dry and cool place.

3.Prepare before storage

3.1 Pre-cooling

Harvesting apple often maintain a high field of heat, breathing, metabolism and other physiological activities strong, easy spontaneous ripening. If put the apples in the cold room directly without pre-cooling, because of 20℃ temperature difference, fruit physical activity disorders and excessive cold injury, the apples will be heat rot and quality will be affected.

3.2 Cold storage management

Eliminate the odor and debris inside the cold storage,and disinfect the cold storage. Cool down temperature of the cold storage to 0°C two days in advance, put the pre-cooled apples in the cold storage, keep gaps between apple stacks for ventilation. Adjust the temperature of the cold storage when finish storing all of the apples. Try to fill the cold storage with fruits in 10 days, then treat them with 1-MCP in time.

4.ANGELFRESH(1-MCP) treatment on apples

When the cold storage is full of apples, fumigate them with 1-MCP immediately, to prevent respiration peak, reduce respiratory strength, and inhibit ethylene. Then extend shelf life of apples and keep them fresh for long time.

Dose: 0.5~1PPM

Duration: 12~24h

5.Storage condition

5.1 Cold storage control

Timely regulate the temperature and humidity of chamber, keep them stable. The temperature cannot be too low, otherwise the water will loss and fruits will be wilting, then the apples quality will be not good. Spray some water when the humidity is not enough. Defrost refrigeration storage to maintain constant temperature.

5.2 Ventilation

Ventilate the cold storage regularly, and ventilation when weather is sun and outside temperature is low.

6.Contact us

For more detailed information about ANGELFRESH(1-MCP) on apples, pls feel free to contact us.

Molly Zhao

Email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 0086 13120068689