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Ethyl alcohol levels in apples after deprivation of oxygen and the detection of alcohol vapour in controlled atmosphere stores using indicator tubes
Author(s) -
North C. James,
Cockburn Jean T.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740260813
Subject(s) - alcohol , atmosphere (unit) , scrubber , modified atmosphere , chemistry , oxygen , soda lime , controlled atmosphere , food science , horticulture , biochemistry , biology , shelf life , organic chemistry , meteorology , physics
Accidental deprivation of oxygen during controlled atmosphere storage of apples leads to the formation of ethyl alcohol in the fruit tissues and according to Fidler 2 if the fruit alcohol can be detected before it has reached 120 mg/100 g, measures can be taken to disperse it and to restore fruit quality. These experiments were designed to show that in apple stores equipped with lime scrubbers alcohol vapour in the storage atmosphere is roughly proportional to the level of alcohol in the fruit. Low levels of alcohol vapour were detected by passing measured amounts of the storage atmosphere through indicator tubes during routine monitoring of gas conditions. The method was found to be unsuitable for stores equipped with activated charcoal scrubbers.