Higher Total Soluble Solids Research Articles

Ethephon as an Alternative Ripening Agent for ‘Cardaba’ Banana (Musa acuminata x M. balbisiana)

Ethephon and bioethylene from Gliricidia sepium were evaluated as potential alternatives to the unsafe calcium carbide (CaC2) in ripening ‘Cardaba’ banana. In Experiment 1, bananas were treated with CaC2 (1 and 2 g kg-1), G. sepium leaves (30% and 40% w/w), or ethephon (200 and 500 μL L-1). In Experiment 2, fruit were applied with CaC2 (2.5 or 5 g kg-1) or ethephon (200 or 500 μL L-1). Results showed that the use of low CaC2 concentration (1 or 2 g kg-1) or G. sepium leaves for 48 h was not sufficient to effectively ripen banana fruit (Experiment 1). The fruit dipped in 500 μL L-1 ethephon for 3 min exhibited similar effect as the 5 g kg-1 CaC2 for 72 h, which allowed the fruit to ripen faster than the lower concentrations of CaC2 (2.5 g kg-1) and ethephon (200 μL L-1), and the control (Experiment 2). The higher concentrations of ethephon and CaC2 resulted in bananas with higher total soluble solids, least firmness, most advanced peel color after 2-3 days and least green (a*) color that was towards the yellow hue angle. Ethephon-treated fruit had better visual quality than those treated with CaC2 and reached the full yellow stage the earliest (4.5 to 5.8 days) compared with the other treatments (7 to 11 days). As ripening took place earlier, fruit dipped in 500 μL L-1 ethephon solution had the least visual quality rating after seven days resulting in shorter shelf life of eight days compared with the control at 11 days.

Influence of boron and zinc on yield, nutrient uptake and quality of strawberry

Strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.) is responsive to boron (B) and zinc (Zn) fertilizer application. Hence, an experiment was conducted in winter season of 2017-18 and 2018-19 to evaluate the effect of boron and zinc application on yield traits, yields, nutrient uptake and quality of strawberry. The experiment was planned with 16 treatment combinations involving four levels each of boron (0, 1, 2 and 3 kg ha−1) and zinc (0, 2, 3 and 4 kg ha−1) following factorial (4 × 4) randomized complete block design with three replications. As per results, application of B 2 kg ha−1 and Zn 3 kg ha−1 produced highest number of fruits (18.5) and most fruit yield (14.1 t ha−1) with higher total soluble solids (7.50°Brix) and vitamin C (72.0 mg/100 g) and greatest B uptake (0.205 kg ha−1) and Zn uptake (0.192 kg ha−1).The interaction effect of boron and zinc was dominant. The result suggests that combined application of B 2 kg ha−1 and Zn 3 kg ha−1 can increase the quantity and quality of strawberry fruit. The present findings may have potential for the area where imbalance uses of boron and zinc fertilizer in strawberry cultivation.

Pre-Harvest Application of Salicylic Acid, Abscisic Acid, and Methyl Jasmonate Conserve Bioactive Compounds of Strawberry Fruits during Refrigerated Storage

The short shelf-life and loss of bioactive compounds of strawberry fruit are the most important problems during strawberry refrigerated storage. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the pre-harvest foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) (2 and 4 mM), abscisic acid (ABA) (0.25 and 0.50 mM), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) (0.25 and 0.50 mM) three times, 10 d apart, at fruit development and ripening stages on storage ability and bioactive compounds of strawberry fruit (cv. Festival) stored at 4 °C for 12 d. Our results showed that fruit obtained from both concentrations of ABA and 0.25 mM MeJA was firmer and had higher total soluble solids (TSS) than fruit from non-treated plants. However, all previous applications had no significant effect on weight loss, pH, or color. Applications of 4 mM SA and 0.25 mM MeJA conserved fruit from ascorbic acid (AsA) loss compared to control at the end of the storage period. In addition, all pre-harvest applications remained higher in total phenolic compounds (TPC) and anthocyanin contents compared to controls at the last storage period. Hence, the pre-harvest application of SA, ABA, and MeJA could be used to conserve TPC and anthocyanin as well as the quality of strawberry fruits during refrigerated storage.

Postharvest Quality of Two Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) Fruit Maturities Held in Ambient and CoolBot-equipped Cold Storage

Mangosteen fruit has a good demand in the global market, however, local production is beset with high postharvest losses. The effectiveness of low temperature in maintaining fruit postharvest quality is well known but costly. In this study, the effects of ambient storageand CoolBot-equipped room are determined on two maturity stages of mangosteen. The mangosteen fruit which is classified as reddish purple or dark purple was stored in either ambient conditions (26.7±0.6°C, 88.4±3.4% RH) or inside a modified cold room using CoolBot (9.9±1.8°C, 77.8±10.7% RH) and the quality was evaluated weekly. Mangosteen at both maturity stages had at least 8.5 days of shelf life under ambient conditions and 29.8 days under CoolBot storage. Peel color was maintained for less than four days after storage in ambientm while 35 days in room with CoolBot. There was a higher total soluble solids (TSS) content in dark purple fruit in both storage conditions. Pericarp hardening of the fruit was observed starting at 7 and 28 days in ambient and CoolBot storage, respectively. Fruit stored in the CoolBot-equipped room had better visual and calyx quality, lower weight loss, higher TSS, and delayed peel color change. Chilling injury which manifested as inner pericarp browning at 35 days did not vary between the two fruit maturities in cold storage. Storage of reddish purple mangosteen fruit using CoolBot maintained the fruit quality until 28 days.

Combinational effect of chemical treatments on quality of litchi (Litchi chinensis) during storage

Attractive red-coloured pericarp is one of the most important factors in the consumer decision to purchase litchi(Litchi chinensis Sonn.). Red colour of the pericarp turns brown within 2-3 days after harvest which reduces themarketability and commercial value of the fruit drastically and finally incurring huge financial losses to growers.This study was carried out to evaluate the possibility of using combinational application of sodium hypochlorite withsodium chlorite and carnauba wax on the quality of harvested litchi during storage (2016–17). Postharvest treatmentsincluded sequential dipping in sodium hypochlorite (0.2%) (T1), sodium hypochlorite (0.2%) + sodium chlorite (0.05%) (T2), sodium hypochlorite (0.2%) + carnauba wax (10%) (T3) and untreated (control) (T4). Treated fruit werethen packed inplastic punnets and stored at 2°C and 90-95% relative humidity (RH). All the treatments significantlyreduced pericarp browning over control. The most remarkable effect was obtained in fruits treated with sodiumhypochlorite (0.2%) in combination with sodium chlorite (0.05%) as evidenced by delayed anthocyanin degradation,lower polyphenol oxidase activity, fruit decay and weight loss. This treatment also maintained better fruit quality asindicated by higher total soluble solids and phenolic content in fruits, thus can be used as a cost-effective method toreduce pericarp browning and prolong marketable life of litchi up to 25 days.

Preharvest Spray Hexanal Formulation Enhances Postharvest Quality in 'Honeycrisp' Apples by Regulating Phospholipase D and Calcium Sensor Proteins Genes.

‘Honeycrisp’ (Malus domestica Borkh.), a premium applecultivar, is highly susceptible to bitter pit and decline in quality during long-term storage. In order to enhance the quality, an aqueous composition containing hexanal was applied as a preharvest spray. The effects of hexanal were assessed on the treated fruit and compared with HarvistaTM (a sprayable 1-Methylcyclopropene based commercial formulation) applied and control fruit under both cold (2.5 °C; four months) and cold after room temperature storage (20 °C; 14 days) conditions. Color, firmness, and total soluble solids (TSS) did not show a significant change in response to any treatment at harvest, while abscisic acid (ABA) significantly reduced and tryptophan increased in response to hexanal, compared to HarvistaTM and control. The treatment effects on quality traits were observed during storage. Both hexanal and HarvistaTM sprayed apples had higher TSS under both cold and room temperature storage. In addition, both sprays enhanced firmness at room temperature storage. However, the effects of sprays on other quality traits showed a different pattern. Apples sprayed with hexanal had lower phospholipase D enzyme (PLD) activity, lower incidence of bitter pit, and decreased expression of MdPLDα1 compared to HarvistaTM and control. On the other hand, HarvistaTM treated fruit produced lower ethylene. Both sprays decreased the expression of MdPLDα4, MdCaM2, MdCaM4 and MdCML18 genes. Generally, PLD alpha has a direct role in promoting fruit senescence, whereas the calcium senor proteins (CaM/CMLs) may involve in fruit ripening process via calcium and ethylene interactions. Therefore, improved postharvest qualities, including the lower incidence of bitter pit in hexanal treated ‘Honeycrisp’, may be associated with lower membrane damage due to lower PLD enzyme activity and decreased expression of MdPLDα1 and MdPLDα4 genes throughout the storage period.

Influence of hot water treatment to quality properties of pineapple (Ananas comosus) fruit during storage

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) was a non-climacteric fruit popularly distributed in Vietnam and other tropical regions. It was highly preferred by great appearance, wonderful texture, special flavour and perfect nutritional value. Moreover, it was also a good source of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants beneficial for human health. In harvesting season, it was highly perishable under ambient storage due to its high metabolic and moisture content resulting in quality degradation. This research evaluated the possibility of hot water treatment to the retention of quality attributes during storage. Pineapple fruits were dipped in hot water at different times and temperatures 30/35 (as control), 50/45, 52/40, 54/35, 56/30, 58/25, 60/20, 62/15 (°C/s). They were drained for 30 mins and stored at the ambient condition at the relative humidity of 85-90% for 15 days. In 3 day-interval, these fruit groups were taken to evaluate weight loss, firmness, decay index, total soluble solids (TSS), ascorbic acid. Results showed that there was a significant difference between the control and 7 treated groups. Pineapple fruits treated by hot water at 56/30 (°C/s) showed the lowest weight loss (0.15±0.05 to 1.34±0.01%), the lowest decay index (1.03±0.02 to 1.63±0.02), the most firmness (19.43±0.00 to 18.63±0.03 N), the highest TSS (24.35±0.02 to 23.01±0.01oBx), the highest ascorbic acid content (18.59±0.01 to 17.79±0.02 mg/100 g). Application of hot water submergence provided an alternative to chemical treatment to extend pineapple stability during storage and improve its marketability in distribution

Geneva® Series Rootstocks for Apple Trees Under Extreme Replanting Conditions in Southern Brazil.

Geneva® rootstocks in Brazil are known to be efficient in controlling vigor, and are precocious and resistant to diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of apple tree cultivars grafted on the Geneva® rootstocks in severe replant disease areas, by planting 60 days after the eradication. The experiments were implemented in 2017, in São Joaquim and Vacaria. The Gala Select and Fuji Suprema cultivars were grafted onto ‘G.202’, ‘G.814’, ‘G.210’, and ‘G.213’ rootstocks in the Tall Spindle training system. In 2018/2019, total thinning was carried out to promote plant growth. In São Joaquim, partial thinning was carried out in 2019/2020 harvest of ‘Gala Select’. The rootstocks were divided into two groups based on vigor, for both areas and cultivars. ‘G.202’ and ‘G.213’ were 40% less vigorous than ‘G.210’ and ‘G.814’. For ‘Gala Select’, the extreme non-fallow condition mainly affected the vigor and productivity of ‘G.213’ in both areas. At the end of two harvests, ‘G.213’ was 17% less productive than ‘G.210’, contrary to what is observed in areas where the fallow period is respected. However, ‘G.213’ confirmed a greater yield efficiency, which was 27% higher than ‘G.210’. This suggests that a perspective of forecasting production for the third crop is higher for ‘G.213’ than for ‘G.210’. In the case of ‘Fuji Suprema’, the G.210 rootstock was the most productive in both areas. In São Joaquim, ‘G.202’ matched ‘G.210’ in productivity and efficiency as it sprouts better in colder regions. Considering the fruit quality, ‘G.213’ anticipated the maturation with fruits of larger size and higher total soluble solids (TSS) in both areas and cultivars, making it possible to anticipate the harvest. It was concluded that the non-fallow condition does not alter the relative differences in vigor and fruit quality among the rootstocks. However, notwithstanding the overall replant tolerance of these rootstocks, it does reduce productivity by mainly affecting less vigorous rootstocks that need about three crops to overcome the allelopathic effects of the soil and start growing normally. The G.210 semi-dwarfing rootstock is an alternative for the immediate conversion of apple orchards of Gala Select and Fuji Suprema cultivars in southern Brazil.

Biochemical changes in two Aronia melanocarpa cultivars’ berries during the harvest season

Biochemical changes that undergo during the harvest season in 2020 (between 28 July and 11 September) were evaluated by a comparative study of two Aronia cultivars. The experiment was conducted at the Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitesti, Arges County, Romania, on ‘Melrom’ and ‘Nero’ cultivars. Dry matter, total soluble content, pH, vitamin C, and biologically active components such as anthocyanins and phenolics variations were assessed from 28 July to 11 September 2020, for berries harvested every five days. ‘Melrom’ cultivar berries had significantly higher dry weight content, 251.43 g kg-1. ‘Nero’ showed a significantly higher vitamin C (1.87 g /kg-1 DW), total anthocyanins content (29.71 g cyanidin 3 – glucoside kg-1 DW), and juice pH (3.87). As harvest time main effect over the two cultivars taken together, dry weight, anthocyanins, total soluble content, and juice pH content increased significantly during the harvest season with 43.32%, 54.10%, 36.33%, and 17.98%, respectively, whereas significant losses of vitamin C, by 26.21%, and total phenolics compounds, by 27.90%, were recorded. Overall, early harvested fruits contained higher levels of moisture, vitamin C, and phenolics compounds, although the last crops provided less acidic fruits, with higher total soluble solids and anthocyanins content.

Nutritional quality, fruit shape and relationships among exotic and local Capsicum pepper genotypes in Uganda

Twenty-one hot pepper genotypes comprising of local (15) and exotic (6) types (C. annuum, C. frutescens and C. chinense) were characterized for selected fruit traits after propagation in a glasshouse at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo in Central Uganda using a completely randomized design with three replicates. Ripe fruits were harvested and analyzed; traits evaluated were all significantly different at P<0.05 with variations in quality attributes. The genotype OHA-B305-10 had the highest ascorbic acid content (128.86 mg/100 g) and is recommended for improvement of both local and exotic genotypes targeting the fresh market. Genotypes CAP0408-12 and UG2 WE0511-22, with highest total soluble solids (16.17 ºBrix) and dry matter content (28.59%), respectively should be used in improvements for industrial use or processing to products such as chilli powder or flakes. BRS-M205-04 with highest titratable acidity (1.04%) can be used in enhancing shelf life of genotypes with low titratable acids as well as for the fresh market. In spite of the intraspecific relationships among genotypes, significant differences were observed in their quantitative traits. These genotypes will, therefore, be useful in improving the quality of hot pepper fruit in Uganda.

Morphological and biochemical properties of garlic (Allium sativum L.) collections

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is an important constituent of many of traditional medicines. The nutrient composition and biochemical ingredients of garlic vary among varieties and locations. The current experiment was conducted with 35 genotypes of garlic to study variation in morphological and biochemical properties among these genotypes. The weight of bulbs ranged from 6.9 g to 22.6 g. Highest number of clove bulb-1 was recorded in collection -286 (44.6) followed by GG-2 (40.6). Clove weight was higher in collection - 316 (1.41 g). The dry weight ranged from 28.6 per cent to 38.65 per cent. Highest total soluble solids were found in collection -79 (35.1°Brix). Potassium, iron and zinc content were higher in GG-2 (1.70%, 47 ppm and 19.2 ppm, respectively). Sulphur and copper content were higher in G-41. Manganese content ranged from 6.90 to 23.1 ppm. Highest anthocyanin pigment was found in the peel of cv. Godavari (5.35 mg). There was not much difference in anthocyanin content in pulp of purple and white colour varieties. Pyruvic acid content ranged from 20.9 µ mol ml-1 to 24.9 µ mol ml-1. Over all cvs. G-50, G-41, collection -316 were found superior over others.

Effectiveness of Selected Cold Chain Management Practices to Extend Shelf Life of Mango Fruit

An on-farm study was conducted among smallholder mango farmers in Embu County of Kenya to demonstrate the effectiveness of simple harvest and postharvest handling practices to attain cold chain and extend mango shelf life. The recommended cold chain practices were compared with common farmers' practices. 'Apple', 'Ngowe', 'Kent', and 'Tommy Atkins' harvested at the mature green stage were used in the study. To demonstrate proper cold chain, fruits were harvested before 8 am, transported in crates lined with dampened newspapers, precooled in an evaporative charcoal cooler, and then transferred to a Coolbot™ cold room (10 ± 2°C). To demonstrate common farmers’ practices, fruits were harvested at noon, transported in open crates, and stored at ambient room conditions (25 ± 7°C, 55 ± 15%RH). The air and fruit pulp temperatures were monitored regularly using HUATO® data loggers. During the storage period, a random sample of 3 fruits (per variety) per treatment was taken after every 3 days to evaluate ripening related changes including physiological weight loss, colour, firmness, and total soluble solids. Proper cold chain practices resulted in low fruit pulp temperature (average 11°C) compared to 25°C for fruits handled using common practices by farmers leading to faster ripening as evidenced by lower peel/pulp colour and firmness, higher physiological weight loss, and higher total soluble solids. For example, flesh firmness of fruits under poor cold chain practices decreased from initial 36.6 N, 45.9 N, 66.5 N, and 46.8 N to 3.1 N, 2.4 N, 3.2 N, and 3.1 N for ‘Apple’, ‘Ngowe’, ‘Kent’, and ‘Tommy Atkins’ varieties, respectively, at the end of storage while that of fruits under proper cold chain practices reduced to 2.3 N, 1.5 N, 3.9 N, and 2.9 N, respectively, for the four varieties at the end of storage. Overall, proper cold chain management extended mango shelf life by 18 days. Application of simple harvest and handling practices coupled with simple storage technologies can attain and maintain the cold chain required to preserve quality and extend shelf life. This could increase the marketing and storage periods for later selling and processing, respectively, of mango fruits.

Effect of outlet temperature and total soluble solid in 2-stage spray dryer on black tea powder extract production

The black tea powder extract produced through the spray drying technique is an alternative to tea steeping or brewing in the industry. The production of black tea powder extract using the 2-stage spray dry method still has problems such as different colour, product swelling or inflate and blocking. To determine the source of the problem, this study used varied outlet temperatures 105°C, 110°C, 115°C, 120°C and total soluble solids (TSS) 31.3, 35.2, 37.2, 43.9, 44.1, 47.4. Spraying through 2-stage spray dryer with combi fluid bed and high nozzle pressure atomizer model SC 40 SDX III by Delavan. The results show a significant difference between the outlet chamber temperatures with the flowrates, the pressures, and the densities. An increase in outlet temperatures by a multiple of 10°C can significantly reduce the pressure and the flow rate, while the temperatures multiple of 20°C can significantly reduce the densities, but not for the moisture contents and the powder colours. Changes in the outlet temperatures did not have a 0.2% effect on the steeping colours but were affected by TSS. The higher TSS’s value gives an increase in flow rate, pressure, moisture content and steeped powder colours of 0.2%

Minimal processing for goat milk preservation: Effect of high‐pressure processing on its quality

Fresh goat milk spoilt in a short time due to bacterial spoilage. Conventional heat pasteurization can cause nutrient degradation. Hence, high-pressure processing (HPP) is chosen as an alternative. The safety and quality of goat milk processed by HPP (200–600 MPa) and thermal treatment (60–80°C) at 5–15 min were studied. Thirty-day storage study at 25°C and 4°C was carried out as well. Viscosity and total soluble solid of milk were stably retained after HPP treatment and during storage. The refrigerated (4°C) HPP (600 MPa, 10 min, RT) and thermal pasteurized (70°C, 15 min) milk product were observed to be safe up to 10 days with minimal detection of microbial load. In conclusion, HPP followed by the refrigeration of goat milk provides an excellent alternative to traditional thermal pasteurization in terms of shelf life and quality. Practical applications This paper presented the potential of HPP as a gentler preserving method for goat milk. The safety and quality of HPP-treated goat milk were studied. HPP at 200, 400, and 600 MPa reduced the microorganism load while producing better quality milk with higher viscosity, higher total soluble solids, higher pH, lower total color difference, and better reduction of microorganisms. Moreover, the optimum parameter was also statistically determined to be at 600 MPa/10 min. Upon storage (4°C), goat milk treated at 600 MPa/10 min showed safe shelf life up to 10 days with minimal microbial load detection. Thus, providing insight into the application of HPP as a gentle preserving method of goat milk with a positive impact on the overall quality and safety.

Fig freezing in sugar solutions

The effect of fig freezing in sugar solution on fig’s quality and sensory traits as well as phenolic content during storage was examined. Fresh figs were frozen without any treatment (control - CON), in sucrose solution (30%) (SUC) and sucrose solution (30%) with ascorbic acid (2%) (SUCAA), and stored at -18 ⁰C for 210 days. Samples were analyzed every seventy days for pH, total soluble solids (TSS), sugars and phenolics composition, skin and pulp color, and they were sensorially evaluated. According to ANOVA, storage time showed significant impact on more analyzed parameters than freezing conditions. CON and SUC had the highest TSS, what was also sensorially detected. SUCAA was evaluated with the lowest scores for sweetness and typical fig flavor followed by the highest score for off-taste, off-flavor and off-odor. Contrary to TSS, individual sugars and phenolics were the lowest in CON. SUCAA showed the most brightener skin and the reddest pulp measured by colorimeter, and sensorially it obtained the highest scores for skin and pulp color. Storage time caused TSS and pH decrease, what reflected sensorially as a decrease of fig taste and flavor, as well as the appearance of off-taste, off-flavor and off-odor was also observed. Contrary, individual sugars and phenolics showed increase during storage, and the lowest amounts were present in CON. In conclusion, after 140 days all figs noticeably lost their desirable attributes, where CON fig was sensorially the best evaluated and SUCAA gained the lowest scores.

Exogenous application of hydrogen sulfide and γ-aminobutyric acid alleviates chilling injury and preserves quality of persimmon fruit (Diospyros kaki, cv. Karaj) during cold storage

We studied the effectiveness of the exogenous application of hydrogen sulfide (NaHS; 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 mM) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA; 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mM) in alleviating chilling injury and retaining the quality of persimmon fruit during storage at 2 °C for 45 days. Our results showed that the persimmon fruit treated with 3 mM NaHS or 7.5 mM GABA exhibited lower chilling injury manifested by lower peel browning accompanying by higher total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA). Lower H2O2 accumulation along with higher ascorbic acid accumulation in persimmon fruit treated with 3 mM NaHS or 7.5 mM GABA owing to higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzymes may be accountable for keeping membrane integrity, represented by lower electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Besides, the higher accumulation of phenols and flavonoids owing to the higher phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and lower polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity in persimmon fruit treated with 3 mM NaHS or 7.5 mM GABA may be the explanation for superior DPPH scavenging activity. In addition to the lower chilling injury, persimmon fruit treated with 3 mM NaHS or 7.5 mM GABA exhibited higher firmness owing to lower activities of polygalacturonase (PG) and pectin methylesterase (PME). Hence, our results demonstrate that exogenous application of 3 mM NaHS or 7.5 mM GABA could alleviate chilling injury, thus retaining the quality of persimmon fruit during cold storage.

Predicting the sweetness level of avomango (Gadung Klonal 21) using multi-predictor local polynomial regression

One of the mango’s maturity aspects is the sweetness of the fruits. Mature Avomango has a high degree of sweetness, characterized by a high total soluble solids (TSS) content. Currently, many non-destructive tests are using Near Infra-Red (NIR) spectroscopy to find out the TSS content. NIR spectroscopy generates spectra data, which can be used as predictors to predict Avomangos sweetness level. This study aims to predict the level of Avomangos sweetness by using a multi-predictor local polynomial regression approach and compare it with multiple polynomial regression. In this study, we use 120 samples of Avomango divided into two parts, 100 as training data and 20 as testing data. The multi-predictor local polynomial regression has better performance with the value mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is 8.554% that categorized as a highly accurate prediction for predicting Avomangos sweetness level.

Ripening quality of banana cv. Amritasagor through application of different ripening agents

Desirable ripened quality banana fruits are important for the consumer acceptability. Banana cv. Amritasagar was treated with different ripening agents like control (R1), RipestuffTM @ 42 mg/10 mL water (R2), RipestuffTM @ 84 mg/10 mL water (R3), Ethephone @ 200 ppm (R4) and Ethephone @ 400 ppm (R5); and storage durations were 24 h (H1), 48 h (H2), 72 h (H3), and 96 h (H4). The two factors experiment was conducted with complete randomized design with three replications. Fruits were placed in container (RFL). With the progress of storage duration quality parameters like weight loss (%), peel color, pulp to peel ratio, softness, total soluble solids (TSS), and pH were recorded. Fruits treated with R3 and R5 produced uniform yellow color and the highest softness at 96 h. Whereas banana fruits treated with R2 developed peel colour and softness a bit slower compared to other treatments; and untreated fruits (control) were hard, poor in color and quality, and were not suitable for consumption at 96 h. The highest TSS (%) were found at 72 h treated with R5 and at 96 h with R5 including R3, and R4 showed the mostly similar TSS (%). Thus, RipestuffTM @ 84 mg/10 mL water (R3) and ethephon @ 400 ppm (R5) can be used maintaining quality and ripening banana for better price of banana growers and traders through avail it at earlier marketing and reduced postharvest loss.

Postharvest quality of pepino melon (Solanum muricatum Aiton) as influenced by NPK fertilizer rates, growing environment and storage temperature

The present study evaluated the effect of NPK fertilizer (17:17:17) rates (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 kg ha-1) on the postharvest quality of field and greenhouse grown pepino melons (Solanum muricatum Ait.) stored at room temperature (15-22°C) and at low temperature (7°C). The study was carried out in randomized complete block design with fruits from the field and greenhouse, five NPK fertilizer rates as treatments and the two storage temperatures replicated three times. Data were collected on percentage fruit weight loss (PWL), total soluble solids (TSS), firmness and shelf life. Results indicated that greenhouse and field grown fruits from the control and plants supplied with 100 kg NPK ha-1 had low PWL at both storage temperatures. Field grown fruits from the control stored at room temperature had the highest TSS and were firmer after 28 days of storage. Field grown fruits not supplied with fertilizer and stored at low temperature had a shelf life of 27 and 26 days in trial one and two respectively. Application of 100 kg NPK ha-1 and storage of pepino melon fruits at low temperature can be used to enhance quality and shelf life.

Quality Evaluation of Strawberries Grown in Various Regions by Singaporeans and Japanese

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of strawberries distributed in global markets. We obtained strawberries from Egypt, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Spain, and the United States of America (US) being sold in Singapore, and compared them with Japanese strawberries (cv. Benihoppe) using instrumental analysis and sensory evaluation. Sensory evaluation was conducted by Singaporean and Japanese assessors. The results showed that the quality of strawberries in Mexico, Spain, and Egypt were relatively close, but the others were significantly different. The strawberries from the US and Japan had high total soluble solids (TSS) content, while those from Egypt, Mexico, Spain, and the US were firmer and had higher titratable acidity (TA). In the sensory evaluation, the assessors preferred strawberries with high total soluble solids (TSS) and low titratable acidity (TA). These findings suggest that varieties with high TSS and low TA are desirable for the global market. In addition, compared with the Japanese assessors, the Singaporean assessors tended to prefer strawberries with lower TA. These preferences may change depending on the eating habits of the region.