Postharvest quality retention of apricots by using a novel sepiolite¿loaded potassium permanganate ethylene scavenger

© 2019A new potassium permanganate¿based ethylene (C2H4) scavenger was developed using sepiolite as support material. The effects of the scavenger on the main quality attributes of `Mirlo naranja¿ apricots were evaluated in combination with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) at 2 °C and under air packaging conditions at 15 °C. In¿package gas composition, physicochemical traits (weight loss, fruit firmness, skin colour, pH, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solid content (SSC) and SSC/TA ratio, fungal incidence and sensory analysis), were monitored throughout storage. Results were compared with those obtained by using a commercial scavenger. As control, no scavengers were used. The results showed that both scavengers could achieve undetectable C2H4 concentrations within MAP packages at 2 °C. Overall, C2H4 removal resulted in a significant decrease in fruit weight loss, delayed TA decrease and led to lower SSC/TA ratio increase, while no effect was observed on fruit softening. In addition, the 15 °C¿stored apricots also exhibited a lower pH increase, a decrease in C* colour parameter and less fungal incidence as a consequence of a C2H4¿free environment. Furthermore, the developed scavenger reduced SSC changes of 15 °C¿stored fruit, delayed fungal incidence at 2 °C, and maintained higher sensory quality during storage, maintaining good quality up to 36 d at 2 °C or 14 d at 15 °C. Accordingly, the developed C2H4 scavenger could be a good mean to delay ripening process of fresh apricots, and probably other C2H4 sensitive fruit, prolonging their postharvest storability and improving consumer acceptability.