Effects of smoke, hexanal, and calcium chloride on post-harvest quality of oranges [Citrus x sinensis (L.) Osbeck] cvs Msasa and Jaffa under different storage durations and conditions in Tanzania
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The UWI
Abstract
Experiments were conducted to assess the effects of hexanal, calcium chloride, and smoke on the post-harvest quality of
oranges under ambient (room) temperature (28±20C) and reduced temperature storage (18±20C) conditions on two
varieties of sweet orange (Citrus x sinensis (L.) Osbeck) cvs ‘Msasa’ and ‘Jaffa’. Fruit were dipped in enhanced freshness
formulation (EFF) containing hexanal as the key ingredient at 0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.04% (volume/volume), or calcium
chloride solution at 1%, 2%, and 4% (weight /volume) for five minutes each, or subjected to a smoking regime, simulating
a popular traditional practice, by burning 0.5 kg, 1.0 kg, and 1.5 kg of dried banana leaves, or left untreated (control).
Various parameters including physiological weight loss, fruit firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA),
and the TSS/TA ratio were assessed to determine effects on post-harvest quality of fruit. Results indicate that hexanal and
calcium chloride treatments significantly (p < 0.001) reduced physiological weight loss, maintained fruit firmness and
significantly higher TSS in both varieties compared to smoke treatment and untreated controls. Reduced temperature
storage also significantly (p < 0.001) lowered physiological weight loss of hexanal- and calcium chloride-treated oranges.
Based on the results of this study, post-harvest dip treatments with hexanal solution at 0.02% or calcium chloride solution
at 2% coupled with reduced temperature storage at 18°C are recommended to maintain the quality of fresh oranges in
Tanzania. On the contrary, the application of smoke is highly discouraged as it reduces the quality of oranges.
Description
Journal of Tropical Agriculture pp.71-81
Keywords
Post-harvest treatments, Post-harvest loss, Shelf life, Physiological weight loss, Fruit firmness, Total soluble solids (TSS), Titratable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio