Chemical and Physical Quality of Snap Bean Pods during Storage and Shelf Life as Affected by Some Natural Safety compounds

Abstract

Snap bean pods are highly susceptible to post-harvest damage which limits their storage as well as shelf life periods. This investigation was carried out to study the effect of using some natural safety compounds i.e., algae extract, chitosan, potassium silicate and moringa leaves extract as pre-harvest foliar application on quality attributes of snap beans pods during storage and shelfe life periods. Data revealed that weight loss percentage, reduction in general appearance, snappiness, decay percentage, reduction protein and fiber of snap bean pods were increased significantly and consistent with the prolongation of storage period in the two seasons. Meanwhile, pods obtained from treated plants with the algae (4 cm/L) and leaves moringa extract (6 cm/l) were the most effective treatment for these paremters. It can be concluded from this study that treating snape bean plants on field with the algae (4 cm/L) and leaves moringa extract (6 cm/l) and then packing in polypropylene bags improved storability, maintained pod quality attributes, and gave good appearance of pods after 28 days of storage at 5oC + 2 days at 10oC (shelf life).