Hot water and curing treatments reduce chilling injury and maintain post-harvest quality of 'Valencia' oranges

'Valencia' oranges [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] were harvested at optimal maturity and either dipped in hot water at 53 degreesC for 3 or 6 min or at 48 degreesC for 12 min or cured at 53 degreesC for 1 or 6 h or at 48 degreesC for 12 h. The fruits were not degreened, waxed or treated with any post-harvest fungicides. All fruit samples were stored at 4 degreesC for 6 months following the treatments. Both hot water dip and curing treatments reduced chilling injury and decay when compared with the untreated control. The most effective treatments were curing of fruit at 53 degreesC for 6 h and at 48 degreesC for 12 h. Weight loss and juice yield were higher in cured fruits than those from other treatments, but the heat treatments had no consistent effects on titratable acid, soluble solids, ascorbic acid and peel colour. It was concluded that a pre-storage hot water dip and curing at high temperatures might be beneficial in preventing chilling injury and decay of 'Valencia' oranges for 6 months of storage at 4 degreesC.