| heal.abstract |
Globe artichokes (Cynara scolymus L. cv. Argous), 5.5-7.5 cm and 7.6-10.0 cm in diameter, were harvested from a commercial plantation in southern Greece over two seasons and stored for up to 28 days at 2 +/- 0.5 and 10 +/- 1.0 degrees C. Artichokes that were not enclosed in plastic lost 24-52% and 48-51% weight within two weeks of storage at 2 degrees C and 10 degrees C respectively, and so were unmarketable. By contrast, artichokes that were stored in polystyrene boxes covered with cling film, perforated polyethylene or clear polystyrene lost less than 3% weight (at 2 degrees C) and 6% (at 10 degrees C) over the same period, and 2.5-5.5% and 5.4-11.1% respectively after 4 weeks. Colour retention of the outer bracts was also improved by enclosure in plastic. The CO2 concentration within the packages was low at 2 degrees C, being 0.4-1.9% for cling film and less than 0.4% for the other two plastics, compared with 1.9-3.2% and 0.1-1.1% respectively at 10 degrees C. Colour and CO2 concentration were not affected by artichoke diameter, although the rate of weight loss was lower in large heads. Enclosed artichokes stored at 10 degrees C were only 20-40% acceptable after 14 days and not at all after 28 days, whereas those stored at 2 degrees C were 60-100% acceptable for market even after 28 days, cling film being slightly preferable to polyethylene and polystyrene. |
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