Reduction of postharvest losses of Galia melon by a short hot-water rinse

A rapid method for simultaneously rinsing and disinfecting fresh harvested produce using a hot-water rinse and brushes (HWRB) was tested on Galia melo n (Cucumis melo cv. reticulatus) fruit. The optimal treatment to reduce dec ay while maintaining fruit quality after prolonged storage and marketing si mulation was 59 +/- 1 degrees C for 15 s. Trial shipments by sea transport to Europe demonstrated that treating melon with a commercial-scale HWRB mac hine (3 tonnes fruit h(-1)) maintained significantly better overall quality of treated fruit compared with untreated fruit. Exposing spores of Alterna ria alternata and Fusarium solani to 60 degrees C for about 15 s in vitro r educed germination by 48% and 42%, respectively. Employing HWRB resulted in a 3-log reduction in total colony-forming units (CFU) of the epiphytic mic robial population, compared with untreated fruit. Scanning electron microsc opy (SEM) showed that HWRB removed soil, dust and fungal spores from the fr uit surface, and partially or entirely sealed natural openings in the epide rmis.