Abstract:
Objectives: The study was conducted to prolong the shelf life of freshly harvested pomegranate
fruits and to find out its physiochemical properties during storage.
Materials and Methods: Pomegranate fruits of variety ‘Bhagawa’ were stored in 200, 300 gauge
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) package, and silicone membrane modified atmospheric storage
system at ambient conditions and 10°C. Gas composition inside the package, texture, color, and
overall quality parameters were evaluated at these two storage temperatures. The physico-chemical
properties such as total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, total, reducing, and
non-reducing sugars, and physiological loss in weight (PLW) were also determined.
Results: In ambient storage, the shelf life of pomegranate fruit was 10 days, whereas in modified
atmosphere packaging (200 gauge HDPE, 300 gauge HDPE, and silicone membrane system), the
shelf life of pomegranate fruits was extended up to 60, 60, 25 days at ambient and 96, 96, 65 days
at 10°C temperature, respectively.
Conclusions: Among the 200, 300 gauge HDPE package, and silicone membrane system treatments
T1, T5, and T8, respectively, were found better with respect to all the sensory and quality parameters
studied.
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