Efficacy of 1-methylcyclopropene post-cutting treatment on fresh-cut papaya (Carica papaya L. cv. ‘Sinta’) storage quality using two packaging forms

The study was conducted to determine the efficacy of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) post-cutting treatment on fresh-cut ‘Sinta’ papaya (Carica papaya L. cv. ‘Sinta’) in maintaining its storage quality using two packaging forms commonly used commercially namely PET plastic tray wrapped with LDPE stretchable plastic film, and PET clamshell plastic containers. Fresh-cut ‘Sinta’ papaya cubes at Peel Colour Index 5 (yellow with tinge of green) were packaged using plastic tray wrapped with plastic film and clamshell plastic containers.1-MCP gas was introduced post-cutting inside the packaging to a final concentration of 2.5 nL L-1. The fresh-cuts were stored at 100C and 95% RH. Samples were evaluated for headspace C2H4 (HS-C2H4), headspace CO2 (HS-CO2), polygalacturonase (PG) activity, total reducing sugars, firmness, color (as luminosity), water-soaking, visual quality rating (VQR) and microbial load. In both packaging types, lower PG activity and total reducing sugars were observed in 1-MCP treatments compared with controls at certain storage days. In plastic tray-film packaging, lower HS-C2H4 levels were observed in 1-MCP treated fresh-cuts compared with the control. In clamshell packaging, significant differences in water-soaking, luminosity and VQR at days 2 and 3 were observed between 1-MCP treated and control fruits. All of the treatments, on day 2 of storage, complied with European Union countries’ limits on aerobic plate counts (7 log), yeasts and molds counts (5 log) and coliform counts (3 log). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the efficacy of 1-MCP post-cutting treatment on fresh-cut papaya of the ‘Sinta’ variety and also the use in a 1-MCP study of the packaging forms mentioned.