Applying Calcium Chloride Postharvest to Improve Highbush Blueberry Firmness

Immature and marketable highbush blueberries often are separated by buoyancy in water tanks. Calcium chloride was added to the water to improve berry firmness or integrity. Berries were immersed in 0% to 4% CaCl 2 and held at 2C for several days. Vertical compression of a column of berries decreased linearly with increased CaCl 2 concentration, a result indicating that CaCl 2 increased the ability of the berries to resist physical damage. Immersion duration (0.5, 2, or 4 minutes) did not affect results. However, rinsing berries in water immediately after immersing them in CaCl 2 negated the effect. Taste panelists associated an objectionable, salty taste with berries immersed in 2% and 4% CaCl 2 , but not for those immersed in 1% CaCl 2 .