Effect of Maturity Stages on the Quality of Cold Storage Iceberg Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitate) for Export

Abstract

Iceberg lettuce is one of the most important vegetables economically and nutritionally, but its perishable nature poses challenges for storage and long-distance transportation. This study investigated the effect of maturity stages on the quality of iceberg lettuce for export under cold storage conditions. A completely randomized design with three replications was used to evaluate four maturity stages based on days after planting (DAP): 52, 55, 58, and 61 DAP. The lettuce heads were stored at 3±2oC and a 95% relative humidity, and quality parameters were analyzed every three days until the end of storage. Sensory properties, weight loss, color change, total soluble solids, total phenolics, and decay rates were evaluated. The results showed that maturity stages significantly (P <0.05) affected the quality attributes of iceberg lettuce and that harvesting at the optimal stage is very important. Findings from this study confirmed that the quality parameters were preserved for the 58 DAP samples throughout the storage time. They indicated that at three weeks of storage time, the lowest weight loss (5.9%), color change (14.1), and decay rate (8.3%), and the highest sensory analysis (5 scores) and appearance were shown by the 58 DAP maturity stage lettuce. Therefore, harvesting iceberg lettuce at 58 DAP is recommended for long-distance exportation.