Abstract:

In this experiment, we examined the effects of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) on the post-harvest physiology and
storage quality of ‘Huayou’ kiwifruit. The fruit was stored cold temperature ((0 ± 0.5) ℃) after being treated with ClO2
gas at 0, 0.5, 2.5, and 12.5 mg/L for 30 and 60 min, respectively. During storage, we measured the firmness, soluble solids,
titratable acidity (TA), respiration rate, peroxidase (POD) activity, vitamin c (VC) content, soluble protein content and other
indicators of kiwifruit at a 15-day interval. The results showed that at the suitable concentration for appropriate time, ClO2
gas treatment maintained the firmness and the contents of soluble solids, TA, VC, soluble protein, total phenols, flavonoids,
and anthocyanins in ‘Huayou’ kiwifruit, inhibited respiration rate and POD activity, but had no effect on the skin color. This experiment
showed that ClO2 treatment at 2.5 mg/L for 60 min was the most favorable for quality preservation of ‘Huayou’ kiwifruit. In conclusion,
ClO2 gas can effectively inhibit the post-harvest physiology of kiwifruits and maintain their storage quality.

Key words: kiwifruit, chlorine dioxide gas, post-harvest physiology, storage quality