Post-Harvest Handling and Cherry CA storage 🍒
The cherry varieties ‘Kordia’ and ‘Regina’ are cultivated in both greenhouse 🌱 and outdoor 🌳 environments in the Netherlands. Proper post-harvest handling is crucial to maintaining their quality and extending shelf life.
To ensure optimal freshness, cherries must be precooled to below 5°C ❄️ within 4 hours of harvest. This can be achieved using hydrocooling 💧 or forced-air cooling methods. For extended storage, Controlled Atmosphere (CA) technology is utilized, which includes the use of an N₂ generator and CO₂ injection to regulate gas levels.
Under CA conditions, cherries benefit from:
- 🍬 Preservation of titratable acidity (TA) and soluble solids content (SSC).
- 🍒 Retention of firmness, stem color, and brightness.
- 🛡️ Reduction in surface pitting and microbial decay.
Compared to conventional cold storage in regular atmosphere (RA), where cherries can be stored for 2–3 weeks, CA storage significantly extends the storage period to up to 6 weeks 📅 while maintaining superior fruit quality.
This advanced post-harvest management system ensures that cherries meet high standards of freshness and taste, supporting their journey from farm to table 🏡.
