Ethylene Levels Associated with Fruit and Vegetables during Marketing

Abstract. Over 700 measures of the level of ethylene in the atmosphere of fruit and vegetable holding areas in wholesale markets, distribution centers, supermarket retail stores and domestic refrigerators were taken over a three-year period. The lowest ethylene levels were found in supermarket stores with a mean level of 17 – 35 PPB (parts per billion) in produce receiving, storage and display areas. Levels in the ambient air of wholesale markets and distribution centers were higher at about 60 PPB.  Domestic refrigerators were grouped into those that contained or did not contain apples with the ethylene level being much higher at 200 PPB were apples were present and 29 PPB were apples were absent.  Using a rating scale, which was developed from published literature on non- climacteric  produce, a 15 PPB ethylene as a low-level were less than 10 percent of potential postharvest life is lost and 100 PPB as a high level where there is higher than 30 percent loss of postharvest life, suggests that most produce during marketing is held in an ethylene atmosphere where 10 to 30 percent of potential postharvest life is lost.

Source: Center for Food Industry Research and Development, University of Newcastle, Australia.