Effect of hot water treatment and oxalic acid on colour retention and storage quality of litchi fruit cv. Rose Scented

Abstract

Post-harvest browning, highly perishable nature and poor shelf-life of litchi cv. Rose Scented fruits are the major constraints that significantly reduce its commercial potential in the fresh market. To overcome these maladies, an investigation using Hot Water Treatment (HWT) at 55°C for 12 min., alone or in combination with 10% oxalic acid (OA) for 15 min. along with control (pre-cooling and without pre-cooling), was conducted under cold storage conditions (5°C and 85 ± 5% RH). Treated fruits were placed inside the polythene bags kept at 2% ventilation level. Commercial sulphur dioxide (SO2) fumigation was also included for comparison. Litchi fruits that were treated with a combined treatment of HWT at 55°C for 12 min. and 10% OA for 15 min. stored well upto 18 days under cold storage conditions, with maximum retention of red pericarp colour and very good sensory and quality attributes, registering maximum marketability percentage, TSS content and titratable acidity.