Evaluation of postharvest behavior of film wrapped Ponkan mandarin treated with imazalil and sodium carbonate

“Ponkan” mandarins were dipped in a solution of imazalil (1000 mg.L-1) or sodium carbonate (3%) at room temperature for 2 minutes. Fruit was then individually wrapped with a 19 mm thick heat shrinkable polyolefinic film and stored for 10, 20 or 30 days at 20°C and 65% RH. Wrapping completely inhibited weight loss, reduced dramatically ageing and even after 30 days of storage all healthy fruit were still saleable. In contrast, un-wrapped fruit due to excessive weight loss aged very rapidly and no fruit was saleable after 30 days of storage. Sodium carbonate increased the rate of transpiration and hastened ageing in un-wrapped fruit, but reduced significantly the incidence of decay, especially in wrapped treatment, even if its efficacy was at a lower level than imazalil.