Effect of harvesting date and packaging materials on core browning and phenolic contents of pear cv. Punjab Beauty during storage

Abstract

Core browning in pears is characterized by softening and browning of tissues and development of cavities. It is one of the major disorders that develop during storage of pears. The relationship between core browning, total phenolic contents in relation to harvest time and packaging materials during storage was investigated in pear fruits cv. Punjab Beauty. Results indicated that core browning incidence was significantly higher in fruits from the last harvest. The fruits harvested 125 and 140 days after full bloom had 2.88 and 5.57 per cent core browning incidence, respectively after a storage period of 60 days, as compared to 13.30 per cent incidence in fruits harvested 155 days after full bloom. It is concluded that the lower incidence of internal browning in early harvested fruits was due to the presence of higher level of total phenolic contents than in late harvested fruits. Among the various packaging materials, CFB boxes proved to be the most effective in reducing the core browning in the fruits.