Technical and Fumigation Time Effects on Shallot Storage Quality

Abstract

Storage involves management after harvest which plays an important role in the quality control of shallots. Shallot farmers also store using the traditional methods of fumigation, e.g smoke, which is used in liquid smoke processing. This research aims to determine the effect of smoking during storage on the physical and sensory characteristics of shallots. The random nature of the block had two factors: smoking (traditional smoking, spraying, dipping methods) and smoking time (1, 2, and 3 hours respectively). The measured variables include weight loss, moisture content, damage and sensory characteristics (texture, flavour). Furthermore, tests were conducted every week for 4 weeks without fumigation according to controls. The results showed that fluid smoke decreases weight loss, moisture content, and lowers the risk of damage using the immersion process. The consistency of shallots can be preserved for up to four weeks by soaking in liquid smoke for 2 hours. There was a weight loss of 4.6%, damage of 1.17% and moisture content of 82.5%. Smokeless shallots also had a weight loss of 33%, damage of 9.17% and humidity 87.29%. Therefore, soaking shallots for 2 hours in liquid smoke helps to retain their physical and chemical properties without changing their sensory characteristics.