LIBRO-CONGRESO-CITRUS

S09
S09O08
A new prespective in controlling postharvest citrus rots
Fallanaj F., Sanzani S.M., and Ippolito A.
Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, Univeristy of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Italy. fridafallani@yahoo.it
The need for alternative control means to reduce postharvest decay of fruits is becoming increasingly
important. Frequently, contaminations take place in the postharvest environment e.g. in the wash water.
Several sanitizers have been studied for their effectiveness in the inactivation of this pathogenic microflora,
however their limited efficacy or drawbacks prevented their practical use. The electrolyzed water represents a
major step forward, as an effective and economical alternative. EW has been shown to have broad-spectrum
antimicrobial activity in inactivating a variety of bacteria of public health significance, which might affect
minimally-processed vegetables. Recent studies have also shown a certain efficacy of EW against postharvest
rots on peaches, pears, grapes, and citrus fruits. However, they rely on the electrolysis of NaCl solutions, thus
not avoiding the formation of chlorine by-products which may represent a limitation. The present study was
carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of EW in controlling citrus rots during processing in the packinghouse
environment. We focused on developing an effective protocol for practical application during postharvest
handling of citrus, which does not require the use of chlorine salts. Our results showed that once the machine
parameters and water composition are carefully analyzed and set up, EW may be effective in prolonging the
shelf life of citrus fruit during storage, although its potential needs to be further investigated.
S09O09
Global solution for preserving citrus fruit using natural treatments
Conesa E.
Fomesa Fruitech (FOMESA), Technical Department, Spain. econesa.fruitech@fomesa.net
Different tests were carried out in conjunction with the IVIA’s Post-Harvest Technology Centre to assess the
efficiency of natural treatments replacing standard phytosanitary treatments. First, the efficiency of an aqueous
treatment containing a food preservative was assessed. This system significantly reduced the appearance of
decay in ‘Marisol’ mandarins inoculated with 10 5 spores/mL of Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum. The same
food preservative was used in conjunction with a detergent on ‘Washington Navel’ sweet orange fruit previously
inoculated with the same mix of P. digitatum and P. italicum. The reduction in decay was similar to that obtained
using guazatine as reference. Finally, two different natural products were tested. One was combined with a
natural coating and the food additive, whilst the other was applied as a fumigant. The results of the these two
assays showed a significant reduction of decay in ‘Clemenules’ mandarins and ‘Valencia-Late’ sweet orange
fruit, respectively, which were both previously inoculated with P. digitatum and P. italicum. In summary, different
treatments have been assessed which significantly prevented decay in citrus fruit inoculated with Penicillium
spp. These treatments can be considered as a viable alternative to the use of phytosanitary products.
S09O10
Could ethylene influence Peteca Spot incidence of lemon fruit?
Cronjé P.J.R.
Citrus Research International (CRI), South Africa. paulcronje@sun.ac.za
Peteca Spot (PS) of lemon is a postharvest physiological disorder resulting in the collapse of the oil gland.
Subsequently, the oil leaks into the adjacent tissue and causes a darkened depression. The occurrence can
be severe, without any specific pre- or postharvest practices to avoid reduce the incidence. PS occurs in all
citrus production areas of South Africa and is thought to be the result of the immature rind being subjected to
postharvest stress associated with high CO 2 concentration in degreening, as well as the physical impact of the
packing line and wax application. Over several seasons the incidence of PS was investigated to identify factors
that influence the incidence of the disorder. The first observation was the highly erratic incidence between
seasons as well as within an orchard in a season, with the early fruit being highly susceptible. In experiments
to identify postharvest factors which influence the PS incidence, 3 ppm ethylene and 1% CO 2 were applied in
136 - VALENCIA CONFERENCE CENTER, 18th-23rd NOVEMBER 2012