Response of controlled atmosphere (CA) stored "Golden Delicious" apples to the treatments with alcohols and aldehydes as aroma precursors

Golden Delicious apples were stored under ultra low oxygen (ULO-storage) and treated both at han est time and after 5 months of storage with several aroma precursors. Another plot of fruits was sprayed on the tree with an ethylene inhibitor (AVG) to study the effect of ethylene biosynthesis on volatile production. ULO-storage caused a marked reduction on the ability of fruit to produce volatiles. Feeding these fruits with several alcohols and aldehydes as aroma precursors, stimulated the biosynthesis of volatiles. Each alcohol and aldehyde led to an enhanced production of the corresponding volatile, mainly esters. Similar to ULO-storage, AVG reduced the production of volatiles and this effect was accentuated during the storage of these fruits: in ULO. Treating AVG-fruit with aroma precursors also led to a marked increase in the production of the corresponding volatiles. With ULO stored as well as with AVG-treated fruits, the effect of precursor treatment on volatiles was transient lasting, in general, not more than 2 days.