ABSTRACT
Kiwifruit is the best-known crop in the Actinidia genus. The origin of the kiwifruit industry can be dated back to 1904, when seeds of the green-fleshed kiwifruit, Actinidia deliciosa, from China were introduced into New Zealand. Low temperature storage is an effective approach to extend the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables. Many tropical and subtropical fruits and vegetables develop chilling injury symptoms, a physiological disorder, when stored for long periods of time at low temperatures. The usual chilling injury symptoms are water soaking of tissues, graininess, and mealiness. The symptoms of chilling injury vary among and between fruits and vegetables. The grainy appearance is the result of cell separation, leaving air bubbles between affected cells, with an accompanying decrease in the bulk porosity of the cell wall. Storage temperature and duration are the main factors affecting the incidence and severity of LTB in kiwifruit, which is a significant commercial risk.
