Supermarkets aim to produce good value, ripe and aesthetically pleasing produce to meet high levels of consumer demand. It is important that this is done with low ecological damage in terms of waste and energy expenditure, both during the supply chain and after purchase. Low temperatures are extensively used during transport and storage of fruit aiming to optimise shelf life, despite known risks of detrimental effects on fruit quality and nutritional value.
This study investigated the effect of supply chain temperatures currently used by supermarkets within the UK on maintaining tomato quality and shelf life, and then also investigated the effects of storage temperatures post sale, aiming to find the optimum temperature/s for postharvest storage of tomatoes that will increase quality and at least maintain shelf life.
