Excerpts from the report: Mature-green bell peppers are subject to chilling injury and should not be stored at temperatures below 45° F. Each year chilling injury takes its toll of peppers during marketing, because some produce handlers do not know of the sensitiveness of bell peppers to low temperatures. This study was prompted by the problem of protecting fresh peppers by refrigeration without causing chilling injury. This is part of a broad program of marketing research aimed at reducing spoilage of farm products and maintaining their quality during marketing. The purpose of the study was to determine the time-temperature relationship to chilling injury of bell peppers, determine and describe symptoms of chilling injury, relate the occurrence of alternaria rot to chilling injury, and bring together information needed by produce handlers on the proper temperatures for peppers during marketing.
