Abstract

Avocados are unique in the amount of oil they contain and that they will not ripen on the tree. The key storage limitations after >≈4 weeks is flesh graying (or diffuse flesh discoloration), and stem end and body rots. Optimum storage temperature is ≈5–6°C where irregular skin blackening is a chilling response at low temperature (<≈3°C). General recommendations for CA atmospheres are 2%–5% O2 and 3%–10% CO2 with a widely used regime of 4% O2 + 6% CO2. Oxygen tolerance is generally ≈1%–2%, and CO2 tolerance ≈10%–15%, with damage expressed as irregular brown to dark brown patches, failure to completely ripen and off-flavors. Modified atmosphere or coatings generally have not been found to be commercially successful. CA storage is generally used to assist with reliable transport, and generally used as an insurance against quality loss.