Effect of heat treatment on the preservation of Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai

Heat treatment was used to extend the shelf life of postharvest Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (C . speciosa ), its effects on the quality and physiological properties of C. speciosa were studied. The results showed that heat treatment reduced the weight loss, inhibited the decline of titratable acids (TA), maintained a higher activity of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), compared to untreated C. speciosa . Treatment in hot water dipping at 50℃ for 2-4 min maintained the better quality of postharvest C. speciosa stored at 0℃ for 120 days, which indicated that heat treatment is an effective preservation technology to prolong the shelf life of C. speciosa .