Summary ‘Amarillo’ melon (Cucumis melo var. saccharinus) was freshly-cut into trapezoidal pieces and stored for up to 14 days in air (control) or in controlled atmosphere (CA) of 4 kPa O2 + 15 kPa CO2 (low O2 and high CO2), and 21 kPa O2 + 15 kPa CO2 (high CO2) at 5 °C. Both types of CA reduced the respiration rate and C2H4 emission and led to melon pieces of a better sensory quality than control. Fresh-cut melon softened rapidly, a process slowed by low O2 plus high CO2 levels (33 % loss of firmness compared to 41 % in air). That combination reduced the total soluble solids consumption but not that of citric acid. Both CA reduced microbial counts [by 1.8 to 2 log10 cfu g –1 (colony forming units per g of sample)], while the control exceeded the Spanish legal limits of fungal counts. Melon pieces under both CA achieved a shelf life of 14 days although 4k Pa O 2 + 15 kPa CO2 was preferable for keeping the firmness.
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Aguayo et al. (2007) studied this question.