Author：Hung-Yen Chan¹, Chung-Kee Yeh²

¹ PhD. Candidate, Department of Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering, National Taiwan University
² Associate Professor, Department of Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering, National Taiwan University

Abstract：

    The main purpose of this study develop an automatic monitoring and controlling system for a controlled atmosphere (CA) storage of custard apple fruit. Combined with the existing temperature, humidity and time recording instruments of a storage environment, an automatic detecting and adjusting system of a CA storage of custard apples was developed. The gas conditions in a CA storage can be monitored and also were fully controlled. The whole storage pr℃ess for custard apples can be regulated in time by the adjustment of individual gas proportion. In this study, fully ripe custard apples were stored at 5% O₂ and 5% CO₂ at 15℃, and compared with custard apples stored at 25℃ in the air and cold storage at 15℃. Custard apples were removed from CA storage one week after storage and different quality parameters were measured by several detectors. The results of this study are the custard apples stored in CA storage showed better retention of freshness, color and firmness as compared to the custard apples stored in the air. In addition, the custard apples were stored at 5% O₂ and 5% CO₂ at 15℃ can obtain best storage quality of custard apples. Custard apples held in the air were highly unacceptable due to overripe and off-flavor. Therefore, this study of an automatic monitoring and controlling system for a CA storage not only the quality of fruits can be preserved for domestic market, but also these fruits have their international competitiveness when they are exported to other countries.

Keywords: Storage, Controlled atmosphere (CA), Custard apple.