The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of relative humidity (RH) and dynamic CO2 and O2 concentrations on flesh breakdown and quality of Fuji apple, after eight months in controlled atmosphere (CA). Fruits were stored at 0.5°C in atmosphere with 1.5% O2 + 0.5% CO2, 97% RH (treatment 1) and 92% RH (treatment 2) during eight months. Fruits stored in dynamic controlled atmosphere were kept in atmosphere with 0.5% O2 + 0.5% CO2 during four months at the beginning (treatment 3) or at the end (treatment 4) of storage and 1.5% O2 + 4% CO2 during four months at the beginning (treatment 5) or at the end (treatment 6) of storage. Fruits from treatments 4 and 6 and treatments 3 and 5 were kept at beginning and final of storage, respectively, in 1.5% O2 + 0.5% CO2. The evaluations were done at opening of storage chambers and after nine days in cold storage and five days in shelf-life. Lowering O2 concentration from 1.5% to 0.5%, in 0.5% CO2, increased breakdown, specially when used in final months of storage. Exposure to 4% CO2 at the beginning of storage increased flesh breakdown incidence at shelf-life. Low RH (92%) decreased breakdown and rot incidence. Dynamic CA had no effects on flesh firmness, TSS and acidity of fruits.
apple; controlled atmosphere; flesh breakdown
