Sucrose Ester-based Coatings Formulated with Food-compatible Antioxidants in the Prevention of Superficial Scald in Stored Apples

Abstract

Treatments were applied in Italy, United Kingdom, and Spain to test their effectiveness in controlling superficial scald in apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) after cold storage. In Italy where mature `Red Chief' and `Golden Delicious' were stored at 3-4C for 4 months, scald incidence was reduced by postharvest dipping in a sucrose-ester based coating, Semperfresh, formulated with the antioxidants, ascorbyl palmitate, and n-propyl gallate. In the United Kingdom and Spain, early harvested `Granny Smith' were stored at 0C for 4 and 6 months. In the United Kingdom, ascorbyl palmitate applied with Semperfresh significantly reduced scald upon withdrawal from 4 months of storage near 0C, but not after 10 days at room temperature. Bringing the apples to ambient temperature for 20 hours 1 month into cold storage reduced scald almost as much as diphenylamine application, but the beneficial effects seen after 4 months of cold storage did not persist after 6 months of storage. In Spain, controlled atmosphere storage (3% O2 + 3% CO2) was as effective as diphenylamine treatment, even after 6 months of storage; CaCl2 was slightly effective after 4 months of storage, but none of the coating treatments significantly reduced scald. Treatments applied after 6 weeks were ineffective.