Recommended Temperature Protocols for Standard and Cold Sterilisation Markets for Pome Fruit

General Guidelines

1. Recognise cultivar differences:
   Different pome fruit cultivars have varying sensitivities to temperature and CO₂.
2. Low Temperature Sensitive (High Risk A):
   Some apple cultivars develop internal disorders if stored below 0.0°C for long periods (21 days).
3. Low Temperature & CO₂ Sensitive (High Risk B):
   Some cultivars are both low temperature and CO₂ sensitive. Do not pack these in unperforated plastic bags.
4. CO₂ Generation:
   CO₂ generation is low at 0.0°C or lower but increases significantly at higher temperatures (+1.0 to +5.0°C).
5. Freezing Risk:
   Early-season fruit with low sugar content is prone to freezing.
6. Rapid Cooling Risks:
   Rapid cooling of certain cultivars (e.g., Granny Smith) may lead to core flush.
7. Plastic Bags:
   Used to retain green colour and prevent moisture loss.
8. Market Requirements:
   Some markets (e.g., Far East, Africa) demand plastic bags.
9. Cooling Rate:
   Fruit in plastic bags cools slower than fruit without plastic bags.
10. Loading Tolerances:
    Fruit in unperforated plastic bags must be loaded out within specified tolerances to avoid warming inside containers.
11. Container Vents:
    For fruit packed in plastic bags, container vents can be closed to save energy.
12. Pallet Loading:
    When loading pallets with different packaging types, those with less effective ventilation (e.g., plastic bags) should be loaded first, as cooling at the door-end of the container is less efficient than near the refrigeration unit.
13. Vents for Cold Shipping:
    It is recommended to close container vents when shipping fruit below 0.0°C.
14. 1-MCP Treated Fruit:
    Fruit treated with 1-MCP may be stored at +1.0°C or higher, compared to non-treated fruit.
15. Relative Humidity:
    Maintain RH between 90% and 95%.

Refer to the tables below for detailed protocols.

Notes:

1. Risk Level refers to disorders and damage caused by too low temperatures and/or too high CO₂ concentration (freezing, cold damage, internal browning, scald, etc.).
2. These are guidelines; specific circumstances, markets, and maturity may require deviations for quality.
3. Early variants of main cultivars (e.g., Panorama Golden Delicious, Louterwater Granny Smith, and not fully matured Golden Delicious/Granny Smith) are high risk and must follow protocols strictly. Low sugar levels often lead to cold damage.

Regulatory information:
See PPECB’s website: www.ppecb.com
Documents:

• HP28 Handling Procedure and Optimum Temperatures for Sea Exports of Pome Fruit
• HP22 Carrying Temperature Regime Codes of Perishable Produce
• Q25 Cold Treatment Protocols – Yellow Card

Storage Guidelines for Apples

A. Standard Protocols

| High Risk B | Joya/Cripps Red, Pink Lady®/Cripps Pink | CO₂ & chilling injury, soft scald (post-optimum maturity) | Yes | Perforated (5mm) | 0.5°C–1.0°C | 0.5–1.0°C| DAV0, DAV0.5, DAV1 | Open |
| | Jazz™, Envy™ | Soft scald, do not cool below 0°C | See owner’s instructions | – | 0.0–0.5°C | 0.5°C | DAV0.5 | Open |
| | Inored (Story®) | Internal browning, do not cool below 0°C | Stepdown: Start at 10°C, reduce by 2°C to 2°C | Perforated (5mm) | 0.5–1.0°C | 1.0°C | DAV0, DAV0.5, DAV1.5 | Open |
| | PremA093 (Sassy™) | Soft scald, do not cool below 0°C | Stepdown: Start at 10°C, decrease to 3°C, after 21 days to 0.5°C | Perforated (5mm) | 0.5–1.0°C | 1.0°C | DAV0, DAV0.5, DAV1.5 | Open |

| Moderate Risk | Fuji | Internal browning (CO₂ injury), do not cool below 0°C | Room cooling at 0°C; stepdown not recommended | Perforated (5mm) or open | 0.0–0.5°C (up to 2°C if 1-MCP) | 0.0°C | DAV0 or DAV0.5 | Open |
| | Gala, Starking, Topred mutants | – | Optional | Optional | -0.5°C–3.0°C | -0.5°C | D-0.5 | Closed if in sealed bags|
| | Braeburn, Panorama Golden (optimum maturity, only first week’s fruit), Golden Delicious (optimum maturity, only first week’s fruit), Granny Smith (optimum maturity, only first week’s fruit) | – | No | No | -0.5°C–3.0°C | -0.5°C | D-0.5 | Open |
| Low Risk | All treated with 1-MCP | Handle at >0°C to save energy | Optional | Optional | -0.5°C–3.0°C | -0.5°C | D-0.5 | Closed if sealed bags |

Storage Guidelines for Pears

High Risk (HR) – Summer Pears

• Cultivars: Early Bon Chretien, Bon Chretien, Bon Rouge & Victoria Blush, Rosemarie & Sempre, Flamingo & Sempre, Beurre Hardy, Doyenne du Comice, Cheeky & Cape Rose, Celina & Qutee
• Comments: High respiration fruit, cold chain must be maintained at all cost.
• Plastic Bags: Most experience is with 37.5 µm bag.
• Temperature: -0.5°C to +1.5°C
  • If full container with bags: can go down to -1.5°C
  • If sugar >13° Brix: -1.0°C
  • Without bags: -0.5°C
• Code: DP1
• Vents: Closed if bags are unperforated; closed if DAT is below 0°C

Packham’s Triumph (HR)

• DCA Stored (Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere), sometimes acts as WBC
• Plastic Bags: Yes
• Set Point: -1.0°C

Moderate Risk (MR)

• Early Season Packham’s Triumph: Possible CO₂ damage at 2°C and higher. Low sugar levels are freezing prone.
• Temperature: 0.0°C to +2.0°C
• Set Point: 0.0°C
• Code: D0
• Vents: Closed if in sealed bags

Low Risk (LR) – Winter Pears

• Cultivars: Packham’s Triumph (LR), Abate Fetel, FEMA Forelle & Vermont Beauty, Beurre Bosc, Golden Russet Bosc
• Temperature: -0.5°C to +2.0°C
• Set Point: -0.5°C
• Code: D-0.5
• Vents: Closed if in sealed bags

Forelle & Vermont Beauty

• Special protocols are to be followed.
• Temperature: 0.0°C to +2.0°C
• Set Point: 0.0°C
• Code: D0
• Vents: Closed if in sealed bags (choice of plastic bag is important; lower microns, e.g., 20, reduce CO₂ risk)

B. Cold Sterilisation Markets

Cold sterilisation temperatures pose a risk for chilling-sensitive cultivars, as most protocol temperatures are below 0°C.
Recommendations:

• Select the highest sterilisation protocol temperature for a specific route or destination (based on the number of protocol days required).
• Choose the lowest cold store target temperature and set point that will prevent chilling injury in the specific cultivar while still allowing for successful completion of the sterilisation procedure.

Example Table: Cold Sterilisation Protocols (abbreviated)

See full tables in the original document for all markets and details.

End of Protocols