Effect of Different Edible Coatings on Quality of Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) Stored at Different Temperatures
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University of Ghana
Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the effect of different edible coatings, packaging
materials on shelf-life and quality of two varieties of tomatoes (Pectomech and wosowoso).
Due to its perishability, tomato is associated with many postharvest loss issues which can be
attributed to lack of good management practices (use of poor varieties, packaging and improper
storage) which result in poor quality and short shelf-life.
The study, was conducted using two tomato varieties (Pectomech and wosowoso), baskets and
polyethylene bags were used as packaging materials, edible coatings such as cassava starch
(CS), citric acid (CA) and their mixture were used to apply the coatings on two varieties of
tomatoes before their storage at different temperatures (4oc and 28oC).
The treatments used were two varieties of tomatoes (Pectomech and wosowoso), three edible
coatings with different concentrations: 1. Cassava starch (1%, 2%, 3%); 2. Citric acid (0.5%,
1%); 3.Cassava starch + Citric acid (1:0.5; 1:1; 2:0.5; 2:1; 3:0.5, 3:1); two method of
applications (Dipping and brushing), two packaging materials, two storage temperatures (28oC,
4oC) and control.
The results indicated that the coating material in maintaining quality of pectomech tomatoes
was the samples dipped in cassava starch mixed with citric acid at a ratio of 3:1 (3:1 CS+CA,
dipping). The shelf life of pectomech tomatoes was longer than shelf life of wosowoso in all
treatments and the shelf life in refrigeration storage was longer than room storage for both
varieties. Polyethylene packaging was better than control and basket in terms of weight loss,
lycopene, pH, TA and vitamin c during 21 days of storage. Considering all the sensory
attributes, for the two varieties of tomatoes, consumers preferred tomato fruits packed in
polyethylene packaging material.Farmers and traders should be encouraged to apply edible coatings such as cassava starch and
citric acid to coat tomatoes at right coating concentration (3:1 CS+CA, dipping) before packing
them in polyethylene bags and at room temperature respectively.
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MPhil. Crop Science