Effect of Using Low-Pressure Storage (LPS) on Rabbiteye Blueberry Premier Fruits

This investigation was initiated to establish the best conditionsfor maintaining the quality of rabbiteye blueberries using lowpressurestorage (LPS) technique. Low-pressure storage experimentwas conducted in a growth chamber at 4ºC using 22-quarter pressurecookers as low-pressure chambers. The desired pressures were maintainedby continuously evacuating humidified air using a Belt-drivevacuum pump. The treatments were 1.0, 0.6, 0.3, and atmosphericpressure and the control fruits were held on adjacent shelves in thesame chamber under normal atmospheric pressure.The results revealed that berries stored at 1.0 atmospheric pressurelost less weight, were firm, developed less decay, and did not showany shriveling with the storage time (28 days). Juice pH increasedwith the storage time, but was lowest at LPS treatments. Soluble solidconcentrations (SSC) increased with the storage time, but were lowestat 1.0 atmospheric pressure. Titratable acidity (TA) was highest whenfruits were stored at 0.3 atmospheric pressure due to a high moistureloss. The ratio of SSC/TA varied with the storage time when the fruitswere stored at 1.0 and 0.3 atmospheric pressure and tended to increasewith storage time at 0.6 and the control treatments.