Browsing by Subject "Shelf-life"

Strawberry is one of the most rapidly deteriorating fresh produce and thus prone to significant losses during the whole supply chain. Temperature management is a key factor to retain the quality and to prolong the shelf-life. Cooling facilities may not be available in all farms, exposing strawberries to delayed cooling and subsequent early spoilage. Thus, the main aim was to find out how different temperature profiles and cooling methods affect the quality and shelf-life of four Finnish strawberry cultivars and what kind of differences there are between the cultivars against delayed cooling. Samples of four strawberry cultivars (Honeoye, Rumba, Lumotar and Polka) were acquired from local farms and stored in three different temperature profiles and monitored and tested daily for 10 days for marketability, calyx freshness, firmness, total soluble solids (Brix), weight loss and smell. The results indicated that rapidly started cooling was beneficial for all studied cultivars and delayed the spoilage especially effectively for Polka and Honeoye. The effect was only minor for Rumba and moderate for Lumotar. The Brix values varied greatly by cultivar as Polka and Lumotar had higher values compared to Honeoye and Rumba, but the temperature profiles did not influence them. Tunnel cooling helped to prevent early spoilage only slightly compared to room cooling. Among these cultivars, Rumba appears to be best suited for supply chains where temperature management can’t begin immediately after picking, whereas Polka can only be recommended if rapidly started cooling is possible at the farm.