DYNAMIC CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE OF AVOCADOS: TECHNOLOGY FOR MANAGING EXPORTS?

Refrigerated storage provides only a limited storage life that constrains the export markets that can be reached. Storage life may be extended with controlled atmosphere storage (CA), which may be operated as a dynamic (DCA) or static (SCA) system. The quality of New Zealand-grown 'Hass' avocados has been compared following storage in DCA or SCA for 6 weeks at 5°C. DCA-stored fruit ripened more rapidly than SCA-stored fruit, 4.9 and 7.3 days, respectively, and in approximately the same time as air-stored fruit. The rapid ripening of DCA-stored fruit made them more uniform in ripeness than SCA-stored fruit. When ripe, DCA-stored fruit had a lower incidence of a range of disorders, including stem end and body rots, than SCA-stored fruit. These findings suggest that DCA is a useful technology for the storage of avocados, for both prolonging storage and improving quality, and may have a role in managing New Zealand avocado exports