Quality monitoring of apple fruit during long-term cold storage

This study aims to evaluate the post-harvest characteristics of two commercial apple cultivars (ʻGloster’ and ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’), examining their quality at harvest and after storage for different period (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 months). Physical (fruit weight, weight loss, and firmness) and chemical traits (total sugars content (TSC), titrable acidity (TA), and TSC/TA ratio) were determined using standard laboratory methods. A comparison of the apple cultivars showed that ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’ had a higher fruit weight (217.87 g), while ‘Gloster’ exhibited higher fruit firmness (10.18 kg cm-2). The TA content was higher in ‘Gloster’ (0.45%), while TSC/TA ratio was higher in ‘Morren’s Jonagored®’ (32.96). No significant differences were observed in weight loss and TS content. At harvest, fruits of the apple cultivars exhibited the highest values for weight and firmness. During cold storage, a decrease was observed, and after 8 months, the investigated quality parameters showed the lowest values, along with the highest fruit weight loss (10.10%). The highest TSC content in apple fruit was recorded after 2 months of storage (10.33%), TA after 4 months (0.43%), while the highest TSC/TA ratio was observed at the end of the cold storage (35.03). A throughout analysis indicates that both cultivars are well-suited for long-term cold storage, as no significant changes were observed in the physical and chemical properties of the apple fruits throughout the storage period. This stability suggests their potential for extended shelf life and consumer acceptance.