Integrating non-chlorine sanitizing, precooling and modified atmosphere packaging in low-cost cooling systems for brinjal (Solanum melongena)
2017
Rahman, M. A. | Goffar, M. A. | Nasrin, T. A. A. | Bari, M. L. | Acedo, A. L. | Easdown, W. | Hughes, J. A. | Keatinge, J. D. H.
This study combined the use of a non-chlorine sanitizer, precooling and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) as prestorage treatments for brinjal kept in a simple evaporative cooler (EC) or CoolBot cold storage (CS). Precooling was done by dipping the fruit in 10°C water. As non-chlorine sanitizing treatment, dipping fruit in 0.01% calcinated calcium (CCa) solution for 5 min at ambient temperature was used. For a combined precooling and sanitizing treatment, 10°C CCa solution was used. Fruit dipping in normal tap water served as a control. After air-drying of the surface, fruit were packed in 30 µm-thick polyethylene bags with 0.5% perforation as MAP medium; fruit held in the open and storage under ambient conditions served as controls. Fruit were then stored in the EC or CS. The commercial brinjal variety was used at 5 kg per replication. EC temperatures (24.3-27.5°C) were consistently lower and less fluctuating than ambient temperatures (27.8-31.0°C). CoolBot temperature was maintained at 13±1°C. Relative humidity (RH) was about 75±2% in CS, whereas it was 75-95% at ambient and 85-99% in EC. Fruit in the CS lasted for 14 days when packed in MAP. Rotting affected ˃50% of the fruit on day 5 of ambient storage and of EC. In the CS, fruit rotting was first noted on day 9, increased gradually and reached 30‑60% on day 15. Sanitizing treatment using 0.01% CCa showed a significant effect in reducing the rot incidence for up to a week but, after that, no effect was observed. On the other hand, MAP significantly reduced losses in weight, firmness and shriveling in the CS. Vitamin C content was effectively maintained in the CS and was about 7.5 mg 100 g-1 after 14 days of storage. EC- and ambient-stored fruit had similar vitamin C contents on day 4 of their storage life.
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