Reduction of chilling injury in grapefruit and oranges stored at 1°C by prestorage hot dip treatments, curing, and wax application

Abstract

Chilling injury in Marsh grapefruit during storage at 1°C was reduced 61% by dipping in hot water(50°C) for 2 min before storage. The fungicide thiabendazole (TBZ) at 1000 mg/L applied as a cold dip(14°C) reduced the susceptibility of these fruit to chilling injury by 28% over an 8-week storage period. Susceptibility of Washington navel oranges to chilling injury was reduced 65% after dipping in hot TBZ (50°C) for 2 min. Wax application and prestorage curing for 1 week at 20°C also reduced chilling injury damage. Where there is a risk of chilling injury in fruit to be disinfected against fruit fly, the risk can be reduced by dipping in a hot TBZ suspension at 50°C. A thorough application of wax has also been shown to reduce the I susceptibility of citrus fruit to chilling injury.