Project Number: 6621-43000-001-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Jan 27, 2005
End Date: Nov 30, 2009

Objective:
Improve technology that preserves quality, edibility and storability of whole fresh and fresh-cut produce, with emphasis on chemical-free and organic-compatible treatments. Model how fruit coatings influence concentrations of internal gases and, thus, affect quality.

Approach:
Assess potential incidence of disease preharvest to anticipate problems under postharvest conditions. Test antagonistic microorganisms as a decay-control treatment as well as antimicrobial essential oils and natural phytoalexins. Coating formulations will be developed from new or traditional ingredients and analyzed for their ability to block pores in the fruit peel, and reduce microbial populations for intact and fresh-cut produce. Intact fruit will undergo treatments that reduce wound-ethylene in the fresh-cut product. In all cases, affect of treatments on quality will be evaluated.