Study On The Effects And Function Mechanism Of Chlorine Dioxide On Storage Quality Of Fruits And Vegetables

Chlorine dioxide is a strong oxidant and acknowledged as an excellent food fresh-keeper and bactericide. The flavor and appearance characteristics of food are not influenced by it. With using chlorine dioxide, the original flavor of fruits and vegetables is maintained; furthermore, fresh keeping for a long period can be achieved by preventing ethylene production, destroying the existed ethylene, and inactivating food decay bactera and fungi. In 2004, U. S. FDA authorized chlorine dioxide as an antimicrobial for fruits and vegetables. GB-2760 in China ranked stable chlorine dioxide as food additive and confined it in fruit and vegetable's fresh keeping and fish processing. This research planed to keep storage qualities table grapes, green pepper, and cherry tomato by chlorine dioxide as antimicrobial and fresh keeper. The main research contents included the effect and process of chlorine dioxide treatments on fruit and vegetable and its function mechanisms, such as the effect of chlorine dioxide on the endogenous hormone levels in grape, respiratory rate and accumulation of Malondialdenyde (MDA) in green pepper and cherry tomato. The aim of this research is to provide the fundamental theories and technics for the application of chlorine dioxide in fresh keeping of fruits and vegetables. The main conclusions are as follows:1 The effects of chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) treatment on storage qualities of table grape (Thompson Seedless) were investigated. Grapes were treated with 25mg L^-1, 50mg L^-1, and 100mg L^-1 for 10min, 20min, and 30min, respectively. The results indicated that after ClO₂ treatment, the color of grape stalks and the color, shape and firmness of berries were well maintained, the rates of decay were reduced, and the contents of titration acidity and Vc were effectively maintained. Lower dosage and shorter time treatments were favorable to keep the storage quality of the grape; in contrast, higher dosage or longer time treatments might be harmful to them.2 The effect of chlorine dioxide gas treatments on red globe grape in storage and its changes of endogenous hormones levels of ABA, IAA and GA3...