Effect of Package Type on Quality and Shelf Life of Banana and Muskmelon Fruits

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 vii 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.