STORAGE OF SWEETHEART CHERRIES IN SEALED PLASTIC FILM

'Sweetheart' cherries were sealed in perforated or nonperforated polye thylene bags and stored for 6 weeks in air at OC. Samples were removed after 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks of storage and evaluated for fruit and sens ory quality. Volatile analyses were done on samples kept in storage fo r 2, 4, 6, 8 and 9 weeks. Atmospheres after 6 weeks of storage were ap proximately 4.6% O-2 and 10% CO2, for the perforated bags (1993) and 6 .6% O-2 and 3.5% CO2 for the non-perforated bags (1994). Fruit brightn ess (L value), firmness and titratable acidity declined during storag e. Skin color (hue angle) decreased slightly in redness over the 6-wee k storage period. Sensory evaluation in 1993 showed a decline in fruit appearance and flavor with storage duration. Texture and juiciness di d not change. Acceptability remained high for the first 4 weeks of sto rage. Twenty-seven volatiles were identified by head-space analysis (1 993). Little change occurred in volatile production except for acetald ehyde which increased sharply from week 2 to 4 and ethanol which incre ased sharply between week 8 and week 9. Butyl acetate behaved much lik e acetaldehyde. Modified atmosphere packaging maintained high fruit lu ster and green stems. No differences in fruit quality were observed wi th bag type, but storage appears to be limited to 4 weeks for 'Sweethe art' cherries because of flavor loss.