This study was conducted during two successive seasons of 2008 and 2009 to study the
effect of some post-harvest treatments i.e. NaOCl (2%), irradiation (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 K.Gy gamma rays)
and edible films with chitosan coatings (1& 2%) on some fruit quality parameters of Canino apricot
fruits under cold storage. Briefly, fruit weight loss (%), decay (%), T.S.S., total sugars and carotenoids
of Canino apricot fruits were increased in most cases with prolonging the storage duration. Meanwhile,
fruit firmness, shelf life (days), titratable acidity, ascorbic acid and total phenols were decreased with
advancing the storage period. However, the lowest values of weight loss (%) and decay (%) and the
best results of shelf life, firmness and total phenols were achieved by using the treatments of chitosan
coatings at 1 and 2% treatments. In addition, the highest fruit T.S.S., total sugars and carotenoids
content, besides the lowest fruit titratable acidity percentage was scored by 1.0 K.Gy gamma ray
treatment. Moreover, the highest fruit ascorbic acid content was produced by chitosan coatings at 1%
and NaOCl at 2% treatments. |