Humidity Effects on Physiological Quality of Stored Tomatos and Bananas

Document Type : Original articles

Authors

1 Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Benghazi University, Benghazi, Libya

2 Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Agriculture, Food Science and Technology Department.

3 Post Harvest Technology Department, Silsoe College, Cranfield University, England.

Abstract

Tomatoes harvested at both green and pink stages of maturity and bananas harvested at the three quarter green mature stage were stored at 20°C and relative humidity of 62%, 78% and 94% until full ripening. Bananas ripening was initiated by exposure to 10 ppm ethylene for 24 h at beginning of the study. The number of days to ripe, skin colour, firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solid and weight loss of fruits were measured. The organoleptic characteristic of bananas was also evaluated. Ripening time was shorter in banana than in tomato; and in pink tomatoes than in green tomatoes. Whereas increasing air RH increased ripening time of tomatoes with less water loss and without effect on fruit color; the reverse was true in banana where ripening time was reduced with less weight loss, less firm and good eating quality fruits of high soluble solids content and flavor despite of the less yellow peel colour. Fruit firmness was in general higher in green than in pink tomatoes and in both it was maximum at medium RH; while that of bananas was maximum at low RH. The concentration of total soluble solids was about 4 times higher in bananas than in tomatoes; and in the latter it was comparable in pink and green tomatoes. Total soluble solids were non-significantly affected by RH in pink tomatoes; but peaked at medium RH in green tomatoes and bananas. Titratable acidity was comparable in pink and green tomatoes and was non-significantly affected by RH in pink tomatoes but increased by increasing RH in green tomatoes. Weight loss during storage was in general higher in bananas than in tomatoes and in both species it exhibited progressive decrease with the increase in RH with stronger effect in bananas than in tomatoes.

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