Abstract
Hot water (HW) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) treatments were evaluated to maintain postharvest quality of pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum cv. ‘Hicaznar’). Pomegranates were subjected to hot water (HW) treatment (at 50 °C for 3 min) and packaged with or without MAP bags. Fruit was then kept at 6 °C for 6 months and at 20 °C for 7 days after cold storage period. The untreated and unpackaged fruit was served as a control treatment (C). MAP and HW+MAP treatments was more effective in reducing weight loss, fungal decay and husk scald, compared to HW and C treatments. The lightness and red color intensity of husk and aril (higher values of L* and C* and lower values of h°) were maintained better in the packaged fruit with MAP (MAP + HW+MAP treatments). The unpackaged fruit from HW and C treatments became unmarketable while those from MAP and HW+MAP treatments were still marketable after 6 months of cold storage and shelf life period. Although fungal decay incidence was low in HW-treated fruit, relatively high scald incidence and weight loss had adverse effect on overall visual acceptability of HW-treated fruit. Hot water dipped pomegranate fruit cv. ‘Hicaznar’ (50 °C for 3 min) could be kept in MAP bags for 6 months at 6 °C and for 7 days 20 °C without adverse effect on quality.
Highlights
Hot water (HW) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) treatments were evaluated to maintain postharvest quality of pomegranate fruit
Pomegranate fruit in uniform size and maturity without defects and blemishes was subjected to the following treatments: (1) Fruit was dipped in hot water and stored in 52 × 36 × 30 cm plastic boxes (HW); (2) fruit dipped in hot water was packaged with MAP (HW+MAP); (3) fruit without hot water dip was packaged in modified atmosphere packages (MAP); (4) fruit was dipped in water at 24 °C for 3 min and stored in plastic boxes (W) and (5) Control fruit without HW and MAP treatments was stored in plastic boxes (C)
Except for a slight increase in O2 concentration and a slight decrease in CO2 concentration after 4 months, O2 concentrations inside MAP decreased while CO2 concentration increased during cold storage period
Summary
Hot water (HW) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) treatments were evaluated to maintain postharvest quality of pomegranate fruit Postharvest quality of pomegranate fruit is often impaired by the visible shriveling symptoms, chilling injury, husk scald, fungal decay beside to deterioration in aril color and taste of pomegranate fruit during long-term cold storage (D’Aquino et al 2010; Selçuk & Erkan 2015; Porat et al 2016; Candir et al 2018; 2019) Postharvest heat treatments such as curing, intermittent warming and hot water (HW) dips (45 °C to 55 °C for 1 to 5 min) have been studied to reduce chilling injury and fungal decay and improve nutritive and functional properties of pomegranates (Artés et al 2000a; Mirdehghan & Rahemi 2005; Mirdehghan et al 2006; 2007; Ramezanian & Rahemi 2010; Moradinezhad & Khayyat 2014). Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been reported to be effective in maintaining the external and internal quality of pomegranate fruit by controlling weight loss, fungal decay and husk scald, and during cold storage period (Artés et al 2000b; Nanda et al 2001; D’Aquino et al 2010; Selçuk & Erkan 2014; 2015; Porat et al 2016).
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