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How can refrigerated storage slow the respiration of fresh fruits?

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Learn about food preservation and the various methods to preserve foodstuffs — food preservation An overview of food preservation.

Refrigerated storage slows the respiration of fresh fruits primarily by managing the enzymatic processes that drive fruit maturation and senescence. Because respiration is an enzymatic activity, its rate is highly sensitive to ambient temperature; generally, the rate of these chemical changes doubles for every 10 °C (roughly 20 °F) increase in temperature. By maintaining lower temperatures, refrigeration effectively reduces the speed of these metabolic reactions, thereby delaying the ripening process and extending the fruit's postharvest life.12

To maximize the effectiveness of this process, many storage systems utilize cold storage in conjunction with other techniques:

Controlled-Atmosphere (CA) Storage: By reducing oxygen levels and increasing carbon dioxide, CA storage further retards senescence.32
Hypobaric Storage: Storing fruit under partial vacuum reduces both respiration rates and ethylene production.3
Ethylene Removal: Removing ethylene gas, which naturally emanates from fruits and accelerates ripening, helps slow the process considerably when combined with refrigeration.2

It is important to note that while refrigeration slows deterioration, it cannot improve the quality of already decayed food, and some tropical fruits may suffer chilling injury if stored at temperatures that are too low.41