Effects of Harvest Date on Apple Fruit Quality at Harvesting and after Cold Storage

Different dates for apples fruit harvest (Malus domestica Borkh. Cv. Fuji) were studied to determine physiochemical changes during the storage. Fuji apples were harvested from 9 September till 23 October, at five different times and stored at 0±0.5 °C and 95% relative humidity for 120 days. To determine the best harvest date for maximum quality and storability, physical and chemical parameters were measured at each harvesting time and after 40-day periods until the end of 120 days of storage. Results showed that, the fruit quality parameters at harvest and after storage, depends on the degree of the ripeness at which the apples were harvested. Fruits from the first harvest, were firmest before and after storage and had the lowest phenolic compounds at the end of storage. First, second and third harvest date samples, had a decrease in phenolic content and total antioxidants activity during storage, but the fourth and fifth harvested fruits were opposite. Total soluble solids and Titrable acidity were affected by the harvest date and duration of storage. First and second harvest date samples showed an increase in total soluble solids during 120 days of storage but it was opposite in third, fourth and fifth harvested samples. The fifth harvest date samples characterized with oblate fruit shape and high weight loss during storage.