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pp.151-157
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of mature stages on quality of Rafito tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) during storage at low temperature. Tomatoes grown in greenhouse were harvested at three different mature stages (turning, pink, and red), packaged with a 30-μm-thick polyethylene film, and then stored at 5 and 10℃, respectively. The changes in firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), colour, lycopene content, decay, and chilling injury were measured on a weekly basis. After three weeks of storage, chilling injury and decay were found to have individually occurred at 5 and 10℃, respectively. As there was little change in quality at 5℃, it was concluded that red tomatoes could maintain their good quality for two weeks. The normal postharvest ripening was inhibited in the turning and pink tomatoes during storage at 5℃. The turning and pink tomatoes showed improved quality after two-week storage at 10℃. In particular, the turning fruits showed the highest firmness throughout the storage period. Furthermore, the red colour, SSC/TA, and lycopene content of the turning fruits reached the same levels as with the red fruits after two-week storage at 10℃. These results suggest that red tomatoes should be stored at 5℃ to inhibit decay, and that the optimum temperature for early-harvested tomato (turning and pink) is 10℃ for the ripening process after harvest.
