Abstract:
The effects of packaging materials on banana fruits grown in Al-
Damazine area and muskmelon fruits grown in Arabic Company Farms in
Omdoum area (both fruits in the pre-mature stage) were studied. The fruits
were stored in two types of packaging materials for 15 days at 18 ± 1 °C and
85-90% relative humidity. The first type is the approved packages of
(SSMO), the other is the commercially available ones. The physicochemical
changes (respiration rate, weight loss, peel color, fruit flesh firmness,T.S.S,
titerable acidity, ascorbic acid content and reducing sugar) 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), while
in muskmelon in the seventh day )58.333(. In the (SSMO) approved packages
the rate continued until the eleventh day for the bananas (19.033), and ninth
day for muskmelon (58.367).Results also indicated that there were significant
differences (P≤ 0.05) in weight loss, peel color, fruit flesh firmness,T.S.S,
titarble acidity and reducing sugar of banana packed in (SSMO) packages
compared to fruits packed in traditional packages (after 2 days 5.2667,
19.567), (after 3 days 1.4, 1.9833),(after 6 days 0.5333, 0.45),(after 3 days
8.3667, 10.633), (after 12 days 0.2833, 0.2067) and (after 6 days 3.4, 4.3667)
respectively, but there was no significant difference in ascorbic acid content.
For muskmelon results showed that there were significant differences (P≤
0.05) in
weight loss, fruit flesh firmness and reducing sugar of fruits
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packaged in (SSMO) packages compared to those packed in traditional
packages (after 2 days 0.8667, 2.1667), (after 9 days 0.4967, 0.3967) and
(after 12 days 9.2433, 10.427) respectively, while there was no significant
difference in peel color, 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,
vitamin C and acidity have decreased. The study showed that the (SSMO)
approved packages has the privilege of decreasing the respiration rate,
decreased weight loss and hence prolonged the shelf life of fruits, compared
to conventional packages.
