Low-temperature injury and the storage of ripening tomatoes

SummaryTomato fruits, cv Sonatine, at the green-orange stage of ripening were held at a series of time/temperature combinations to find ways to slow down development without diminishing the quality of the fully-ripe product. Firmness, colour and appearance were measured in an assessment of fruit response. About 9°C was the minimum that would allow almost all the fruit to ripen uniformly. At lower temperatures increasingly severe damage was caused. Various types of chilling damage and details of typical conditions that cause each of them are described. A number of storage regimes involving modified atmospheres were tested to find one that protected unripe fruit from low-temperature injury. The most satisfactory system was to overwrap with PVC ‘Clingwrap’ film. Guidelines for storing unripe tomatoes for short periods without eroding the quality of the ripened product are put forward.