A Method for the Quantitative Evaluation of Storage Quality of Korla Fragrant Pear
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Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of temperature on the changes in storage quality of Korla fragrant pears, and to monitor their quality changes at different temperatures. The changes in main quality indices as a function of time or temperature were examined over a storage at a temperature (-1, 5 or 25 °C) of actual post-harvest storage conditions for pears. A dynamic kinetic model for the changes of quality indices was further established for quantitative evaluation of the storage quality of Korla fragrant pear. The results showed that the temperature affected significantly the storage quality of pears. The changes in fruit firmness, soluble solids content, peel’s chlorophyll content and relative electrical conductivity of Korla fragrant pear at different storage temperatures conformed to the first-order reaction kinetics (R2 > 0.93). The reaction rate constants and temperature sensitivity associated with all the quality indices conformed to the Arrhenius equation. A model for the quantitative evaluation of storage quality of Korla fragrant pear based on the kinetic theory and the Arrhenius equation. It was found through experiments that after the storage of 60 days, the correlation coefficients (R) between the measured values and the predicted values of the quality indices were all greater than 0.97, with the average relative percentage deviation (P) smaller than 10%. These results indicated that the established model can reflect truly the changes in the firmness, soluble solids content, peel’s chlorophyll content and relative electrical conductivity of fragrant pear. The effectiveness of the model in predicting the changes in quality indices and shelf life of fragrant pear at different storage temperatures was proven. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for commodity sales, quality evaluation and shelf life prediction of Korla fragrant pear under actual environmental conditions of storage.
