Temperature effects on fruit quality of mature green tomatoes during controlled atmosphere storage

Tomatoes were harvested at the mature green stage of maturity and stored at 13 degrees C and 15 degrees C for 60 days at three different combinations of CO(2), all with 5.5% O(2) compared with a control with 20.9% O(2) with 0.3% O(2)/% CO(2). Tomatoes were evaluated for changes in colour, titratable acidity, total soluble solids and decay appearance. In this experiment, the 'Criterium' variety of tomatoes was used and it was found that this variety was not suitable for storage at 13 degrees C. Some chilling injury symptoms were observed during the storage period at 13 degrees C, which did not occur at 15 degrees C. Uneven colour development, irregular changes in titratable acidity and total soluble solids were observed during the storage period at 13 degrees C, and the fruits did not ripen properly even after further 10 days ripening time in air at 20 degrees C. Furthermore, the amount of decayed fruits was higher at 13 degrees C than at 15 degrees C, especially after 50 days of storage. In fruits stored for 60 days at 13 degrees C, alterneria rot, blue mould rot and 'cottony leak' occurred that could be associated with chilling injury and increased during a further 10 days ripening at 20 degrees C. It was concluded that the 'Criterium' variety is not suitable for storage at 13 degrees C.