Effect of CO2 Treatment on Storage and Shelf Life of Sweet Peppers1

Exposure of sweet peppers ( Capsicum annuum L.) to 30% CO 2 for 6 days at 13°C immediately after harvest retarded wall softening and ripening in air at 13° but caused the subsequent development of severe calyx injury and decay at 20°. Slight to moderate calyx injury was induced by a 6-day exposure to 20% CO 2 . Severity of the injury was greater when the CO 2 was used with 3% O 2 as compared to 21% O 2 . Injury was not induced by a 6-day treatment with 10% CO 2 . When stored at 13°, quality of peppers with this treatment was superior after 10 days, but inferior after 20 days to that of peppers kept continuously in an atmosphere of 5% CO 2 and 3% O 2 . Benefits obtained from the 3-day elevated CO 2 treatment (10 to 30%) were nullified after 10 days’ storage at 13°. Ethylene production was greatly inhibited in high CO 2 atmospheres but rose immediately after transfer to air. Red color development, chlorophyll degradation, and ascorbic acid accumulation were retarded only in the presence of high CO 2 .