Studies the role of membrane components and natural products in the bioregulation of fruit and vegetable ripening, senescence, and storage disorders. Selected Publications Whitaker, B.D. 2000.
Superficial scald is a serious storage disorder of apple fruit.
The main symptom of scald is marked discoloration of the skin which makes the fruit unacceptable for fresh market sales. Scald can be largely controlled by treating fruit with the antioxidant DPA, but this drench treatment requires use of a fungicide as well, resulting in chemical residues on the skin that could pose a health risk. This study examined the biochemical basis of the prevention of scald in apples by DPA treatment and low oxygen atmosphere storage. The objective of this work is to find safer and less expensive means of controlling scald. This will benefit the apple industry by eliminating the cost of postharvest chemical treatments and opening foreign markets that forbid sale of treated fruit.