Effect of Two types of Packages on Quality and Shelf-life of Banana (Musa sp.) and muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) fruits

Abstract

A comparative study of banana fruits grown in Al-Damazine area and muskmelon fruits grown in Arabic Company Farms in Omdoum area, stored in two types of packaging materials for 15 days at 18 ± 1 °C and 85-90% relative humidity was carried out. The first type is the approved packages of Sudanese Standards and Metorological Organization (SSMO), and the other is the commercially available packages. The physicochemical changes (respiration rate, weight loss, peel color, fruit flesh firmness, TSS, titeratble acidity, ascorbic acid content and reducing sugars) of the fruits were studied during storage. Results indicated that the banana fruits reached the maximum respiration rate in the commercial packages in the eighth day (17.467 mg CO2/ kg-hr), while in muskmelon in the seventh day) 58.333 mg CO2/ kg-hr(. In the SSMO approved packages the rate continued until the eleventh day for the bananas (19.033 mg CO2/ kg-hr), and ninth day for muskmelon (58.367 mg CO2/ kg-hr). Results also indicated that there were significant differences (P? 0.05) in weight loss, peel colour, fruit flesh firmness, T.S.S, titratable acidity and reducing sugar of banana packed in SSMO packages compared to fruits packed in traditional packages, but there was no significant difference in ascorbic acid content. For muskmelon results showed that there were significant differences in weight loss, fruit flesh firmness and reducing sugar of fruits packaged in SSMO packages compared to those packed in traditional packages. While there was no significant difference in peel colour, T.S.S, titerable acidity, ascorbic acid content and reducing sugar. It was observed that the total soluble solids, reducing sugars and weight loss had increased as fruits ripened. At the same time firmness, Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and acidity maintaining good quality decreased. This study showed that the SSMO packages have the privilege of decreasing the respiration rate, decreased weight loss and hence prolonged the shelf life of fruits, compared to conventional packages.