'Doyenne du Comice' pear is considered as a variety that shows an excellent quality. The present study shows the effects of different cold‑storage technologies on the aromatic quality of these pears. So, fruits were harvested in a commercial orchard in Lleida, and cold‑stored in rooms with different atmospheres: normal air (21% O₂ + 0.03% CO₂), and two low oxygen-controlled atmospheres: 2% O₂ + 0.7% CO₂ and 2% O₂ + 4% CO₂. The storage periods were 2, 3 and 4 months (normal air), and 3, 5 and 7 months (controlled atmospheres). After storage, fruits were held at 20 ºC for 1, 5 and 7 days, after which aroma compounds were obtained (by dynamic headspace method) and analysed by gas chromatography‑mass spectrometry.
The maximum aroma production was reached at 5 months of storage, for different studied atmospheres. After 5 months of storage, the highest aroma production is obtained, for the following conditions: storage in atmosphere LO1 (2% O₂ + 0.7% CO₂) and 7 days at 20 ºC. Esters were the main compounds emitted for this variety, with notable amounts of butyl acetate and hexyl acetate, especially for fruits stored in LO1 atmosphere. The alcohol production was also influenced, after 3 months of storage, for the storage atmosphere and the shelf‑life period.