Abstract:

To elucidate the quality deterioration pattern of eggplant fruit stored at low temperatures, the effect of chilling injury on storage quality of postharvest eggplant fruits was investigated. Freshly harvested eggplant fruits were stored at chilling injury temperature (4 ± 1) ℃ (4 ℃for short hereinafter) or non-chilling temperature (13 ± 1) ℃ (13 ℃ for short hereinafter) for 10 days. The quality changes were monitored periodically during storage. Browning appeared on the surface of eggplant fruits after 4 days of storage at 4 ℃. No chilling symptoms occurred within 10 days of storage at 13 ℃. Chilling injury accelerated the increases in weight loss and membrane permeability and promoted the decreases in the contents of chlorophyl, titrateble acid (TA) and VC. Chilling injury also propelled the decreases of the contents of reducing sugar, soluble protein and free amino acid in postharvest eggplant fruits during mid to late storage (4 － 10 days). In conclusion, chilling injury can accelerate the quality deterioration and play down the edible value and merchandise value of postharvest eggplant fruits.

Key words: eggplant, chilling injury, storage quality