Storing apples in ULO atmosphere controlled cold storage

Abstract

Fruit has a significant place in the total value of agricultural production in Serbia and an increasing amount of fresh fruits has been exported recently. For a more significant placement of fresh food on foreign markets, it is necessary to provide quality protection during transport and storage. Postharvest losses of fresh fruits and vegetables are very high, especially in undeveloped countries. Therefore, modern postharvest technologies, such as modified and controlled atmosphere, are increasingly used to prolong storage life of fresh fruits. ULO (Ultra Low Oxygen) controlled atmosphere has suppressed all other solutions in terms of quality and prolonged storage life (up to 300 days) of apples. In this paper, the optimum conditions and recommended storage regimes for different apple varieties in ULO atmosphere have been reported.