Controlled atmosphere storage of Queensland grown Granny Smith apples

Abstract

Investigations conducted over a period of eight years demonstrated that controlled atmosphere storage can be used successfully with Granny Smith apples.
Fruit retained its firmness better in the presence of carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide did not encourage soggy breakdown. However, superficial scald increased as the proportion of carbon dioxide was raised, particularly in fruit harvested earlier than mid-April.
The most satisfactory atmosphere was found to be 5 % oxygen, but the cost involved in removing carbon dioxide is high.
A satisfactory alternative if a scald inhibitor is used is a mixture of 16% oxygen and 5 % carbon dioxide.