Postharvest treatments of fruit represent an important factor that can significantly contribute to maintaining the quality of fruit during and after the storage. The main objective of fruit storing is to reduce loses, often through the application of synthetic phytopharmaceuticals. Synthetic insecticides and fungicides are used to prevent the growth of insects and microorganisms on the surface of the fruit. The modern trends are oriented towards the use of natural substances or physiochemical treatments instead of the application of synthetic compounds. To reduce the application of chemical treatments, the industry had begun to re-evaluate the old methods by which the quality of stored fruit and microbiological resistance can be substantially improved. One of these methods is based on dipping freshly harvested fruit into hot water with temperature from 45 to 60 °C. This results in a stress response of fruit. Secondary metabolites formed and other physiological changes during hot water dipping, have been shown to improve the storage capacity and microbiological resistance.
|
