Hot-water treatment for insect disinfestation and reduction of chilling injury of 'Fuyu' persimmon

'Fuyu' persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) fruit were hot-water treated at temperatures ranging from 47 to 54 degrees C, for durations from 2.5 to 120 min (depending on temperature), with air- and water-treated fruit (20 degrees C for 120 or 60 min, respectively) as controls. Following treatment, fruit were stored at 0 degrees C in air for 6.5 weeks then held at 20 degrees C for 5 days and assessed for quality. Whereas a number of hot-water treatments caused damage in the form of skin or flesh browning, no damage was observed with certain treatments which showed potential as disinfestation treatments (47 degrees C for 90 and 120 min, 50 degrees C for 30 and 45 min, 52 degrees C for 20 and 30 min, and 54 degrees C for 20 min). These treatments also reduced the incidence and severity of chilling injury observed in fruit following cold storage, relative to that found in controls. Results suggest that hot-water treatment shows potential for both disinfestation and maintaining quality of persimmon fruit during cold storage.