EXTENSION OF POSTHARVEST LIFE OF BELL PEPPERS WITH LOW-OXYGEN

Green bell peppers (Capsicum annum L cv California Wonder) were stored in oxygen/nitrogen mixtures at 10, 30, 50, 70 and 210 (air) ml O-2, l itre(-1) for 4 weeks at 10 degrees C. Decay, weight loss, colour, titr atable acidity and soluble solids contents, internal CO2 and ethylene were evaluated. After 2 weeks, 33% of the air-stored peppers had decay ed while only 9% of those stored in 10 ml litre(-1) O-2 had decayed. T he benefit of 10 ml litre(-1) O-2 in reducing decay continued through 4 weeks of storage. The 30 and 50 ml litre(-1) O-2 atmospheres slightl y reduced decay for a short time while the incidence of decay in 70 ml litre(-1) O-2 was not different from the control. Peppers stored in 1 0 ml litre(-1) O-2 had significantly lower internal CO2 than the air c ontrol and other low O-2 treatments. A slower decrease in green colour of peppers stored in low O-2 indicates a retardation of colour change by low O-2 treatments during storage. Low respiration and ethylene sy nthesis rates may be the primary factors in quality retention.