Effect of Chlorine Dioxide on Freshness of 'Maehyang' Strawberries during Export

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of precooling and application of gaseous $ClO_2$ on the retention of freshness and quality of 'Maehyang' strawberry fruits intended for export. 'Maehyang' strawberry fruits (Fragaria ${\times}$ ananassa Duch.) were grown in commercial greenhouses and then harvested. Fruits of uniform and medium size at 60% ripeness were selected and assigned to one of four treatment groups: non-treatment (control), precooling only (PO), gaseous $ClO_2$ only (GCO) or precooling combined with gaseous $ClO_2$ (P + C). Weight loss was lowest in the PO treatment and greatest in the GCO treatment after export. Compared to the control and PO treatment groups, strawberry fruits in the GCO treatment group maintained high brightness and high chroma. Six days after shipping, fruits in the P + C treatment group had the highest soluble solids content, even as high as $10.05^{\circ}Brix$; the lowest value was observed in the PO treatment. The incidence rate of gray mold in strawberry fruits was 20% and 17% in the control and the PO treatment, respectively; in the GCO treatment, the incidence rate of gray mold amounted to 10%. No gray mold was observed in the P + C treatment group. These results indicate that gaseous $ClO_2$ treatment combined with precooling (P + C) was effective in maintaining the freshness of 'Maehyang' strawberry fruits intended for export from South Korea to Hong Kong.