Ethylene levels associated with fruit and vegetables during marketing

Over 700 measures of the level of ethylene in the atmosphere of fruit and v egetable holding areas in wholesale markets, distribution centres, supermar ket retail stores and domestic refrigerators were taken over a 3-year perio d. The lowest ethylene levels were found in supermarket stores with a mean level of 0.017-0.035 mu L/L in produce receival, storage and display areas. Levels in the ambient air of wholesale markets and distribution centres we re higher at about 0.06 mu L/L. Domestic refrigerators were grouped into th ose that contained or did not contain apples with the ethylene level being much higher at 0.20 mu L/L where apples were present and 0.029 mu L/L where apples were absent. Using a rating scale, which was developed from publish ed literature on non-climacteric produce, of less than or equal to 0.015 mu L/L ethylene as a low level where less than 10% of potential postharvest l ife is lost and greater than or equal to 0.1 mu L/L as a high level where t here is higher than 30% loss of postharvest life, suggests that most produc e during marketing is held in an ethylene atmosphere where 10-30% of potent ial postharvest life is lost.