Storing Avocado Under Hyperbaric Pressure, Poster Board #035

Avocado fruits have been stored under hyperbaric pressure to evaluate its effects on the respiration rates and quality attributes of this specific produce. The fruits were stored at ambient temperature using five different pressure levels (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 atm_abs). The results were compared to those obtained for similar produce held under commercial cold storage conditions (5 °C) for 7 days. Respiration rates, color, mass, and firmness were measured prior to and after the treatments. Avocado fruits stored under hyperbaric pressure showed respiration rates inversely proportional to the pressure applied. The pressure storage also decreased the ripening process rate, resulting in an extension of the storage life of the avocados compared to ambient temperature condition, but using about 3% of the energy required for refrigerated storage. Surface color changes and mass loss were reduced under 9 atm_abs storage condition. Produce stored at ambient temperature and at 9 atm_abs exhibited surface color changes and mass loss similar to fruit stored at commercial cold storage conditions. After 7 days, fruit firmness values obtained for all pressure storage and ambient temperature conditions showed a marked decrease relative to the initial values. Only a small decrease in firmness was observed when commercial cold storage conditions were used; firmness decreased less under 9 atm_abs storage condition. It was concluded that hyperbaric storage has potential for extending the storage life and maintaining the quality attributes of avocado while using little energy.