Impact of gelatin, lemongrass oil and peppermint oil on storability and fruit quality of Samany date palm under cold storage

Abstract

BackgroundThis study was carried out during two successive 2016 and 2017 seasons in the postharvest laboratory of the Agricultural Development System (ADS) project in the Faculty of Agric, Cairo University, Giza Governorate, Egypt, to study the efficiency of using some natural substances i.e., gelatin at 1, 2, and 4%, lemongrass oil at 0.25 and 0.5%, and peppermint oil at 5 and 10%, beside untreated fruits as control on storability of Samany date palm fruits and their quality under cold storage at 0.0 °C ± 2 and 90–95% R.H.ResultsThe results obtained from this study showed that it was evident that those two conflicted trends were detected with the advancement of storage duration during both seasons. Hence, the percentage of fruit weight loss, decay, fruit juice total soluble solids, total sugars, and total phenolic content were increased. Moreover, flesh firmness, total acidity%, and total protein content were relatively reduced. Moreover, not only is the response of different Samany fruit measurements to various investigated dipping treatments varied from one treatment to another, but also each characteristic reflected its trend.ConclusionIt could be generally concluded that all dipping treatments significantly decreased the percentage of both fruit weight loss and decay below control (water dipping), whereas 0.50% lemongrass oil treatment was superior, while 1% gelatin ranked last. On the other hand, fruit juice total acidity was slightly responded by different treatments, and the difference was more pronounced particularly with both 0.25 and 0.50% lemongrass oil during two seasons. Besides, fruit flesh firmness and fruit juice total sugars did not significantly respond to various treatments. Meanwhile, fruit juice total soluble solids percentage, total protein content, and total phenolic content showed considerable different influence to most investigated treatments in both seasons of study.