Controlled atmosphere extends shelf life of sweet cherries: study from Chilean university

Sweet cherry is a fruit of high commercial value, but its delicate structure makes it particularly susceptible to physical damage and physiological deterioration during postharvest handling.

These factors significantly limit its shelf life, especially during long periods of storage and transport.

For this reason, the use of controlled atmosphere storage has attracted increasing interest as an effective strategy to reduce postharvest losses and preserve fruit quality by slowing metabolic processes and delaying senescence.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different controlled atmosphere compositions on postharvest quality.

Experimental design and methodology

The experiment was conducted at the Postharvest Studies Center of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences at the University of Chile, located in La Pintana, in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago.

A factorial experimental design was adopted, combining five different atmospheric compositions with two storage durations on the cultivars ‘Bing’ and ‘Lapins’.

The atmospheric combinations, expressed as percentages of oxygen and carbon dioxide (% O₂ + % CO₂), were: 20 + 1 (normal air, used as control), (13 + 7), (11 + 14), (11 + 11), and (9 + 11).

Cherries were stored at 0 °C for 35 or 42 days under these conditions.

Storage and evaluation conditions

At the end of cold storage, the fruit was transferred to normal atmosphere and held for an additional three days at 10 °C to simulate commercial marketing conditions.

During the evaluation period, a wide range of physical and chemical quality parameters was analyzed, including weight loss, fruit firmness, skin color, soluble solids content, and titratable acidity.

In addition, the incidence of physiological and pathological disorders such as pitting, decay, and peduncle browning was carefully recorded, as these defects strongly influence consumer acceptability and marketability.

The results showed significant differences among treatments and between cultivars, highlighting the importance of adapting controlled atmosphere conditions to specific varietal responses.

Results on 'Bing' and 'Lapins'

In ‘Bing’ cherries, the atmosphere composed of 9% O₂ and 11% CO₂ proved particularly effective, resulting in a lighter red skin color and a lower incidence of external disorders compared to fruit stored in normal air.

Furthermore, all controlled atmosphere treatments contributed to a marked reduction in peduncle browning, one of the most visually detrimental postharvest disorders.

In the ‘Lapins’ cultivar, all controlled atmosphere combinations consistently outperformed normal air in maintaining fruit color and reducing the incidence of decay.

In particular, the gaseous combination of 11% O₂ and 14% CO₂ was especially effective in preserving titratable acidity and reducing external fruit disorders, even after extended storage periods beyond 42 days.

Conclusions and implications

These results suggest a greater tolerance of ‘Lapins’ cherries to high CO₂ levels, allowing longer storage without compromising quality.

Overall, this study demonstrates that controlled atmosphere storage is an effective tool for extending the postharvest life of sweet cherries.

By optimizing gas concentrations according to cultivar and storage duration, it is possible to maintain key quality attributes, reduce physiological disorders, and improve fruit performance during commercialization.

Source: https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/205984

Image source: Stefano Lugli

Melissa Venturi
University of Bologna (IT)

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