Modified atmosphere storage is one of the possibilities to prolong the postharvest shelf life of strawberries. In the present work, four combinations of O2 and CO2 concentrations (3 kPa O2 + 10 kPa CO2; 5 kPa O2 + 15 kPa CO2; 21 kPa O2 + 15 kPa CO2; and ambient air) were evaluated along various storage periods. Cv. Camarosa and cv. Verão strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch) were harvested from commercial groves and placed in trays and stored in low density polyethylene bags of 0.21 and 0.14 to 0.15 mL cm-2 hour-1 permeability to O2 and CO2, respectively. Modified atmospheres starting from known concentrations of O2 and CO2 or only ambient air maintain the quality of cv. Camarosa strawberries for up to 6 days at 1ºC. Cv. Verão berries did not benefit from modified atmospheres at 4ºC. Total soluble solids, titratable acidity, as well as ascorbic acid contents and resistance to berry deformation were not influenced by the different atmospheres. Cv. Verão, however, lost significantly more flesh firmness and had reduced titratable acidity contents along the storage periods.
Fragaria x ananassa; postharvest; cold storage