Influence of carvacrol on survival of Botrytis cinerea inoculated in table grapes.

In this paper, the role of carvacrol vapour atmosphere on Botrytis cinerea inoculated in PDA or in grape berries was studied. Four concentrations inside packages were assayed (0.05, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 ml l(-1)). All concentrations inhibited totally the growth of B. cinerea in PDA, while in berries the reduction of decayed fruits was significantly greater as carvacrol concentration increased. In addition, the fungal growth (area and volume of infection) was also reduced and dependent on carvacrol concentration. Ethylene and respiration rate (berry physiological parameters) increased drastically in control inoculated-grapes, while these increases were lower as higher were the carvacrol applied doses. The data presented in this work suggest that carvacrol could be used as an innovative tool to control fungal decay during table grape storage, as alternative to the use of synthetic fungicides such as SO2.

Use of activated carbon inside modified atmosphere packages to maintain tomato fruit quality during cold storage.

Ethylene triggers the ripening process of tomato affecting the storage durability and shelf life (loss of quality) and inducing fruit decay. In this paper, an active packaging has been developed on the basis of the combination of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and the addition of granular-activated carbon (GAC) alone or impregnated with palladium as a catalyst (GAC-Pd). A steady-state atmosphere was 4 and 10 kPa for O2 and CO2 in control packages, while it was 8 and 7 kPa for O2 and CO2 in treated ones. The addition of GAC-Pd led to the lower ethylene accumulation inside packages, while the higher was obtained in controls. The parameters related to ripening showed that treated tomatoes exhibited a reduction in color evolution, softening, and weight loss, especially for GAC-Pd treatment. Moreover, these treatments were also effective in delaying tomato decay. After sensorial panel, tomatoes treated with GAC-Pd received the higher scores in terms of sweetness, firmness, juiciness, color, odor, and flavor. Results from the GC-MS analysis of the MAP headspace showed that 23 volatile compounds were identified in control packages, with these volatiles being significantly reduced in MAP-treated packages, which was correlated to the odor intensity detected by panelists after bag opening.

Tools to maintain postharvest fruit and vegetable quality through the inhibition of ethylene action: a review.

Ethylene is a plant hormone controlling a wide range of physiological processes in plants. During postharvest storage of fruit and vegetables ethylene can induce negative effects including senescence, over-ripening, accelerated quality loss, increased fruit pathogen susceptibility, and physiological disorders, among others. Apart from the endogenous ethylene production by plant tissues, external sources of ethylene (e.g. engine exhausts, pollutants, plant, and fungi metabolism) occur along the food chain, in packages, storage chambers, during transportation, and in domestic refrigerators. Thus, it is a great goal in postharvest to avoid ethylene action. This review focuses on tools which may be used to inhibit ethylene biosynthesis/action or to remove ethylene surrounding commodities in order to avoid its detrimental effects on fruit and vegetable quality. As inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis and action, good results have been found with polyamines and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) in terms of maintenance of fruit and vegetable quality and extension of postharvest shelf-life. As ethylene scavengers, the best results can be achieved by adsorbers combined with catalysts, either chemical or biological (biofilters).