Quality Properties and Reduction of Microbial Infection of Various Watermelon Fresh-Cut Shapes in Response to: 1-Methyl Cyclopropene and Calcium Chloride.

El-Awady, Aml A.; Bader, Huda H.

doi:10.21608/jpp.2016.46967

Quality Properties and Reduction of Microbial Infection of Various Watermelon Fresh-Cut Shapes in Response to: 1-Methyl Cyclopropene and Calcium Chloride.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Aml A. El-Awady ¹
Huda H. Bader ²

¹ Vegetable Postharvest and Handling Dep. Res., Hort. Res. Institute, Agric. Res. Center, Giza, Egypt.

² Bacterial Disease Res. Dep., Plant Pathology Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/jpp.2016.46967

Abstract

This study was conducted on watermelon in El-Mansoura Research Station during the summer seasons of 2014 and 2015. Two potential compounds of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at 0.5% (full fruits), calcium chloride (CaCl₂) at 1.5% (fresh cut) and dual application as well as untreated control in combination with three cutting shapes (slices, triangle with rind and cubes without rind) were evaluated to increase quality, reduce weight loss and microbial count efficiency under cold storage period.The combined application of 1-MCP and CaCl₂ with slices (9 days after storage, DAS) exhibited significant positive effect on total (TSS, lycopene, sugars and aldehydes). Also, this treatment enhanced color, taste and texture and reduced weight loss, juice leakage, total alcohols and the bacterial counts followed by triangle with rind (6 DAS) and cubes without rind (3 DAS) compared to the control and separate treatments under cold storage at 4^oC and 98% RH. This is turns reflecting on quality, storability and visual characters. Conclusively, treated fruits with 1- MCP at 0.5% and dipped slides with rind in solution of CaCl₂ at 1.5% for keeping, storing and reduce microbial infection of watermelon fresh-cut for 9 days at 4^oC/98% RH in retail markets.

Keywords