maintained. The ventilation openings in the boxes would permit greater cir- 

 culation of air to the fruit and thus provide better refrigeration during 

 transit. 



A new injury related to inadequate ventilation of apples was reported in 

 the 1957 marketing season to have occurred on Mcintosh apples stored in con- 

 trolled-atmosphere storages and later packed and transported to market in 

 cell -pack fiberboard boxes. The injury appeared most serious in motortruck 

 shipments transported approximately 1,500 miles. This shipping injury de- 

 veloped from an abrasive action between the surface of the apple and the 

 container or cell walls in combination with certain unknown factors which 

 occurred in controlled-atmosphere storages. The visible effects were a light 

 to very dark brown discoloration of the apple skin somewhat resembling a 

 burned spot. The most serious damage was generally circular, ranged from 

 1/8 to 3/4 inch in diameter, and appeared on the apple where it came in 

 direct contact with the container or cell walls. Loosely packed apples, which 

 were free to rotate during transit, developed the injury in the form of a ring 

 or complete band around the circumference. It was said the injury could be- 

 come serious enough to prove very costly to Mcintosh growers and handlers. 



Personnel of the Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Maine, 

 made a study of this new injury to controlled-atmosphere storage Mcintosh 

 apples and reported the following preliminary findings in June 1958: 



Apples which were packed and sealed immediately upon 

 opening the storage rooms were most susceptible to the injury. 

 Apples packed on succeeding days following room opening tended 

 to show a steadily decreasing amount of damage. 



Cartons which were packed and sealed without sufficient 

 ventilation appeared to show more of the injury than did 

 adequately ventilated cartons. The injury also appeared to 

 be most serious on over-matured fruit, but sufficient evidence 

 is lacking to support this theory adequately. 



From the results of the preliminary study it appears 

 that inadequate ventilation of controlled-atmosphere storages 

 prior to packing operations may be one factor responsible for 

 this shipping "burn" injury. The isolation of this injury 

 under controlled conditions has provided extremely valuable 

 information. Further investigation and testing is necessary 

 to provide additional information before more definite con- 

 clusions can be drawn. 2/ 



This study of shipping "burn" injury has indicated the desirability of 

 having ventilation openings in fiberboard boxes, especially for apples from 

 controlled-atmosphere storages. 



2/ Perkins, F. A. and Johnson, R. A., A New Injury on Mcintosh Apples 

 Out of Controlled Atmosphere Storage, Maine Farm Research Quarterly, July, 

 1958, Maine Agr. Expt. Sta., Univ. of Maine. 



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