REVIEW - INNOVATIONS IN PHYSICAL MODULATE D TREATMENTS FOR PRESERVED POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES .3. GASEOUS TREATMENTS

In the first and second parts of this paper, heat pretreatments and ci clycal heat treatments during storage for preserved postharves quality were revised. In the third part of this paper, gaseous pretreatments and gradual changes of the storage atmosphere that have been demonstra ted to eliminate or alleviate postharvest losses of quality of fruits and vegetables are revised. Prestorage or periodical high CO2 treatmen ts, initial oxygen stress or severe hypoxia, intermittent warming duri ng cold storage in controlled atmosphere, low ethylene and low oxygen storage and gradual changes in gas composition during controlled atmos phere storage, all these inactivate pathogens, alleviate chilling inju ry, reversibly inhibit fruit ripening or largely delay senescence. The se gaseous treatments are described and the biochemical and physiologi cal basis and their effects on postharvest fruit quality are discussed in this review, paying special attention to the Spanish contributions in this topic.