Effectiveness of two different (3 mM and 6 mM) concentrations of oxalic acid (OA) application in combination with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on skin browning, fruit skin color (L*, a*, b*) values, fruit flesh firmness, total soluble solids (TSS). | Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry Turk J Agric For (2016) 40: 433-440 © TÜBİTAK doi: Research Article Combined effects of oxalic acid treatment and modified atmosphere packaging on postharvest quality of loquats during storage 1, 1 2 1 Ayşe Tülin ÖZ *, Ebru KAFKAS , Adnan BOZDOĞAN Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, Karacaoğlan Campus, Osmaniye, Turkey 2 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Çukurova University, Balcalı, Adana, Turkey Received: Accepted/Published Online: Final Version: Abstract: Effectiveness of two different (3 mM and 6 mM) concentrations of oxalic acid (OA) application in combination with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on skin browning, fruit skin color (L*, a*, b*) values, fruit flesh firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), ratio of TSS/TA, pH total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), organic acids and soluble sugars, and percentage of O2/CO2 change in Hafif Çukurgöbek loquats stored at 5 °C for 30 days were evaluated. Findings indicated that skin browning was reduced by pre-storage OA application in loquats. Furthermore, OA treatment produced the promising effects of inhibiting increases in fruit firmness and maintaining higher levels of organic acids, TPC, and TFC. The results showed that higher (6 mM) concentrations of OA significantly limited both development of skin browning and increasing firmness, and it maintained quality and extended the life of loquat fruit postharvest. Key words: Browning, flavonoid, loquat, organic acids, oxalic acid, phenol 1. Introduction Turkey has a great potential to produce (12,900 t) loquats in the Mediterranean region, and Mersin and Antalya are the largest loquat producers in the country (www. ). Postharvest life and marketing of loquats (Eriobotra japonica Lindl.) are .
