Storage of halved strawberry fruits affects aroma, phytochemical content and gene expression, and is affected by pre-harvest factors.

Introduction: Strawberry fruit are highly valued for their aroma which develops during ripening. However, they have a short shelf-life. Low temperature storage is routinely used to extend shelf-life for transport and storage in the supply chain, however cold storage can also affect fruit aroma.

A complex interaction between pre-harvest and post-harvest factors determines fresh-cut melon quality and aroma.

Melons are prized for their characteristic aroma, however, pre-harvest growth, stage of ripening at harvest, post-harvest processing and storage conditions lead to quality changes in fresh-cut fruit. We considered changes in metabolites and gene expression over 14 days storage to assess underlying mechanisms and identify potential quality markers. Overall, 99 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected and VOC profiles discriminated between two melon seasons, cut-size, storage temperatures and storage time, although season affected their discriminatory power.

Multitrait analysis of fresh-cut cantaloupe melon enables discrimination between storage times and temperatures and identifies potential markers for quality assessments.

Fresh-cut cantaloupe melon is valued for its aroma but is highly perishable. Temperature of storage (typically 0-5°C) is critical for maintaining fresh-cut melon quality, but often reaches 10°C during transportation and in retail outlets. A comparison amongst 0, 5 and 10°C storage temperatures for fresh-cut melon over 14days reveals that storage at 0°C is optimal for avoiding increases in microbial load and loss of vitamin C especially at later time points.