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Introduction – Treatments with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an inhibitor of ethylene perception, were investigated on white-flesh loquat fruit to extend its shelf life and to prevent chilling injury. Ma- terials and methods – The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) white-flesh fruits (cv. Claudia) were submitted to applications of 1-MCP at 1 °C for 20 h and at concentrations from 1 to 5 μL L . The treated fruits were stored at 1 °C for 21 days before removal to 20 °C for ripening (shelf life). Fruit quality was analyzed at harvest, at the end of each storage period (7, 14, 21 days at 1 °C). Results and discussion - The 1-MCP treatment slowed fruit softening depending on concentration, and extended the period before the fruit became over-soft. The untreated fruits exhibited severe chilling symptoms manifested as flesh leatheriness and internal browning after 21 days of storage at 1 °C. The treatment with 1 μL L-1 1-MCP significantly inhibited increases in fruit firmness and internal browning in- dex and maintained fruit weight during cold storage and shelf life, thereby delaying the development of chilling injury and maintaining fruit quality. Conclusion – Application of 1-MCP can extend postharvest life of rapidly softening, perishable fruit like white- flesh loquat.

Il recente boom dei consumi di mango (Mangifera indica L.) nel mercato europeo ha visto un aumento esponenziale delle superfici coltivate nelle aree vocate nel Bacino del Mediterraneo e l’introduzione di nuove varietà provenienti dai Paesi tropicali. Ai frutti importati dai paesi leader produttori, oggi si affiancano anche quelli siciliani che, potendo raggiungere in breve tempo qualsiasi mercato europeo, vengono lasciati maturare all’albero ottenendo livelli qualitativi migliori in termini di gusto e aroma. Obiettivo di questa ricerca è stato quello di valutare la risposta qualitativa dei frutti delle nuove cultivar in termini di qualità e di risposta all’ambiente di coltivazione mediterraneo. La ricerca è stata condotta presso un impianto commerciale sito sulla costa tirrenica della Sicilia. Sono state scelte piante adulte delle varietà Calypso, Glenn, Irwin, Keitt, Kent, Nam Dok Mai, Maya, Osteen, Valencia Pride, e Tommy Atkins innestate su Gomera 3. Le analisi effettuate sui frutti hanno riguardato: peso, diametro longitudinale e trasversale, colore della buccia e della polpa, contenuto in solidi solubili, acidità titolabile e profilo sensoriale. I dati chimico-fisici rilevati sono stati confermati in larga parte da quelli sensoriali evidenziando una ampia variabilità e una buona propensione al mercato della maggior parte delle cultivar. In particolare, Irwin, Osteen, Keitt e Tommy Atkins hanno mostrato valori più alti in riferimento al peso dei frutti, colore della buccia, consistenza della polpa, rapporto tra solidi solubili e acidità titolabile. L’analisi sensoriale ha inoltre evidenziato punteggi elevati per i descrittori di pregio come il flavour, l’odore di frutti esotici e la succosità che hanno contraddistinto in particolar modo Glenn e Irwin, mentre i descrittori associati ad una percezione negativa, come odore/flavour di mare e di bruciato, hanno fatto registrare valori molto bassi per tutte le cultivar in osservazione.

The traditional yellow-flesh peach cultivars Settembrina and Ottobrina di Leonforte, ripen, the former, during the first 10 days of September and, the latter, during the first 10 days of November in Sicily (Italy). During the pit hardening stage, fruit are covered with a paper bag in order to protect them from the Mediterranean fruit fly. To understand their behaviour in term of postharvest manteinance and suitability to minimal processing, Settembrina and Ottobrina di Leonforte were processed (cleaned, washed, peeled, cut, dipped, packed) to obtain fresh-cut peaches. Fresh cut slices were also stored in perforated bi-oriented polystyrene bags, with 2% ascorbic acid and 1% calcium lactate and 1% ascorbic acid 0,5 citric acid and 1% calcium lactate. Physical, chemical and sensorial analyses were performed. Results showed the high variability among varieties in terms of sensorial quality, susceptibility to browning and to mechanical damage, and the importance of dipping solution to preserve vitamin C content. In particular treatment with ascorbic acid at 2% showed the best results in terms of ascorbic acid content after 12 days of refrigerated Storage in both varieties.

The aim of this research was to study the evolution of carotenoid compounds, antioxidant &beta, ctivity, volatiles and sensory quality in two mango cultivars dried at 50, 60 and 70 &deg, C. Total carotenoids in fresh samples were about 12 and 6 mg/100 g (dry basis) in Keitt and Osteen samples, respectively. &beta, carotene was the main carotenoid, representing about 50% of total carotenoids. In both cultivars, carotenoids were more susceptible to drying at 60 &deg, C. Total phenols and metal reduction activity were higher in Osteen than in Keitt, which had higher values in radical scavenging capacity. The antioxidant activities were best preserved with drying temperatures at 50 &deg, C in Keitt and 60 &deg, C in Osteen fruits. Fresh Osteen mango fruits had a volatile compound content of about 37.1, while Keitt of about 5.2 mg/kg (dry basis). All the compounds with odorous impact were significantly reduced after drying. As regards organoleptic characteristics through sensory analysis, Keitt dried mangoes were quite similar to the fresh product, compared to Osteen.