Influence of storage delay on quality of ‘van’ sweet cherry

The effect of delaying cool storage on the quality of 'Van' sweet cherries during and after storage was tested. Freshly harvested fruit were held at 22 degreesC for three different periods, 5, 15 and 25 h, before transfer to cool storage. After the delays, the fruit were cooled to 4 degreesC in a forced air tunnel and then packed in 500 g trays and wrapped with polypropylene film, and stored for 14 days at 1 degreesC and 90-95% RH and then 3 days at 7 degreesC (to simulate long distance transport). The fruit were then kept at room temperature for up to 4 days to study shelf-life. In the initial sample, before cool storage, cherries from the 15 h delay treatment had the highest soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity and were firmer. After 17 days of storage the fruit quality was well maintained. Cherries from the 15 h treatment had, in general, the highest color ratings and were firmer after 17 days of storage.