Storage recommendations
Tables 1 and 2 present storage conditions for fruit and vegetables. The temperatures, relative humidity and storage lives listed are those suggested in various publications. For some products, a ‘general’ temperature for short-term storage has also been suggested. Where it is necessary to achieve a long storage life for a particular crop, seek expert advice because factors such as variety and pre-harvest conditions determine the physiological response to the storage environment.
Fruit
| Fruit | Temperature range (oC) | Relative humidity (%) | Storage time | Short-term temperature (oC) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple** | -1-4.5 2-4.5 | 90-95 95 | 4-32 weeks | 0 | — |
| Apricot** | -0.5-0 | 85-95 | 1-3 weeks | 0 | — |
| Avocado | 0-2 4.5-13 | 90-95 85-95 | 10 days 2-4 weeks | 2 | Green Ripe |
| Banana** | 13.5-15 12.5-21 | 85-95 | 2-5 days 4-21 days | 13 | Ripe Green |
| Blackberry | -0.5-0 | 85-100 | 2-3 days | 0 | — |
| Blueberry | -0.5-0 | 90-100 | 2 weeks | 0 | — |
| Boysenberry | 0 | 90-100 | 2-3 days | 0 | — |
| Carambola | 10-15 | 90 | 5 weeks | — | Starfruit |
| Cherry | 0 | 90-95 | 3-7 days | 0 | Sour |
| Cherry | -1-0 | 85-95 | 2-4 weeks | 0 | Sweet |
| Chico | 15 | 85-95 | 2 weeks | — | — |
| Coconut | 0-2 | 80-95 | 4-8 weeks | — | — |
| Cranberry | 2-4.5 | 90-100 | 12-16 weeks | — | — |
| Custard apple** | 10-20 | 85-90 | 2-3 weeks | 10 | — |
| Currant | -0.5-0 | 90-95 | 1-2 weeks | — | — |
| Date | 0-32 | <75 | 24-48 weeks | — | Varieties differ |
| Duku | 10 | 85-90 | 2 weeks | — | — |
| Durian | 10 | 90 | 1 week | — | — |
| Feijoa | 0-4 | — | 4-5 weeks | 4 | — |
| Fig** | -1-0 | 85-95 | 1-3 weeks | 0 | Fresh |
| Gooseberry | -0.5-0 | 90-95 | 1-4 weeks | — | — |
| Grapefruit | 10-16 | 85-90 | 4-10 weeks | 13 | — |
| Grapes | -1-0 | 85-95 | 12-24 weeks | 0 | — |
| Guava | 7-10 | 90 | 2-3 weeks | — | — |
| Kiwifruit** | -0.5-0 | 90-95 | 8-16 weeks | 0 | — |
| Langsat | 11-14 | 85-90 | 2 weeks | — | — |
| Lemon | 0-5 14.5-15.5 | 85-90 | 2-3 weeks 4-24 weeks | 13 | Coloured Green |
| Lime | 7-10 | 85-90 | 4-10 weeks | 10 | — |
| Loganberry | -0.5-0 | 90-100 | 2-3 days | 0 | — |
| Loquat | 1 | — | 1-2 weeks | — | — |
| Lychee | 0-2 | 90-100 | 3-8 days | 0 | — |
| Mandarin | 5-7 | 85-90 | 2-8 weeks | 7 | — |
| Mango** | 10-13 | 85-90 | 2-3 weeks | 13 | — |
| Mangosteen | 4-5.5 | 85-90 | 7 days | — | — |
| Nectarine** | -0.5-0 | 85-90 | 1-6 weeks | 0 | — |
| Olive | 5-10 | 85-90 | 4-6 weeks | 5 | Fresh |
| Orange | 0-9 | 85-90 | 3-16 weeks | 5 | — |
| Pawpaw** | 7-13 | 85-90 | 1-3 weeks | 13 | — |
| Passionfruit** | 7 | 90-95 | 2-5 weeks | 7 | — |
| Peach** | -0.5-0 | 85-95 | 2-6 weeks | 0 | — |
| Pear** | -2-0 | 90-95 | 8-28 weeks | 0 | — |
| Persimmon | 13 -1-0 | 90-95 | 2 weeks 12-16 weeks | 13 0 | Ripe Green |
| Pineapple | 5-7 10-20 | 85-90 | 2-4 weeks | 7 13 | Ripe Green |
| Plum** | -0.5-0 | 85-90 | 1-7 weeks | 0 | — |
| Prune | -0.5-0 | 90-95 | 2-4 weeks | — | — |
| Pomegranate | 0-5 | 85-90 | 8-16 weeks | — | — |
| Pomelo | 7-9 | 85-90 | 12 weeks | — | — |
| Quince | -0.5-0 | 85-90 | 8-12 weeks | — | — |
| Rambutan | 10 | 100 | 2 weeks | — | In polybag |
| Raspberry | -0.5-0 | 90-100 | 2-3 days | 0 | — |
| Strawberry | -0.5-0 | 85-90 | 5-14 days | 0 | — |
| Tamarillo | 3.5-10 | 85-95 | 1-2 weeks | 3.5 | — |
| Tangelo | 3 | 85-90 | 2-4 weeks | — | — |
| Tangerine | 0-3.5 | 85-90 | 2-4 weeks | — | — |
| Nuts | 0 | 60-75 | 16-96 weeks | — | — |
| Dried fruit | 0-7 | 55-80 55-60 | 48 weeks | — | Apples, stonefruit Raisins, figs |
** denotes commodities known to produce substantial amounts of ethylene