Abstract:

‘Changkou’ hawthorns were subjected to modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
or high carbon dioxide permeable bags combined with ethylene absorbent (EA) treatment before low temperature storage.
Changes in ethylene concentration in packaging bags as well as physiological and quality attributes, polyphenol oxidase (PPO)
activity and phenolics content of hawthorns were measured during storage. The results showed that at (0 ± 0.5) ℃, hawthorn
fruits displayed climacteric characteristics. PVC film with a thickness of 30 μm was beneficial for maintaining the hardness
of fruits and restraining the decreases in titratable acid (TA) and VC, but accelerated the increase in malondiadehyde (MDA)
and flesh browning at the later period of storage. High carbon dioxide permeable film with a thickness of 15 μm, although
having no obvious effects on the hardness of fruits and the changes in TA and VC contents, restricted the release of ethylene
and the increase in MDA content at the later period of storage, and reduced the browning rate. The application of EA was
beneficial for decreasing the content of ethylene in the packaging bags, lessening the decreases in hardness, TA and VC
contents, slowing down the increase in MDA contents, and maintaining the low but stable metabolism of hawthorn fruits,
which efficiently inhibited PPO activity and the undulation of phenolics contents, obviously declined the browning rate and
significantly improved the quality of hawthorn fruit during storage. Taken together, MAP in high carbon dioxide permeable
bags combined with EA treatment possessed the best effect on low-temperature storage of hawthorn fruits.

Key words: hawthorns, packaging, ethylene absorbent, storage quality