A study of the shelf-life of cold-stored longan fruit

Longan fruit, treated with preservatives, i.e. sulfur dipping, sulfur fumigation or thiabendazide plus phosthyl-aluminium, were packed with polychloroethylene (PE) film (0.03 mm thick) bags and stored at 3degreesC for 46 days. Fruit were then removed from storage in three ways: 1. Under gradual temperature rising (3degreesC --> 5degreesC, 8 hours --> 10degreesC, 8 hours --> room temperature); 2. Addition of oxidation retardant; 3. Direct removal. During cold storage, the respiration rate of fruit decreased rapidly, but increased quickly after removal. The permeability of the skin cell membrane rose during and after cold storage. The cold-stored fruit removed from storage under gradual temperature increase or with oxidation retardant addition maintained a shelf life for 32 hours at ambient temperature. Sulfur fumigation was favorable in retaining the original skin color and flesh eating quality. Fruit fumigated with sulfur and with oxidation retardant maintained 100% marketability after 78 hours at room temperatures.