Effect of Edible Flim Coating on Post Storage Qualities of Tomatoes During Refrigerated Storage

Abstract

Mature green tomatoes were subjected to investigation on the effect of pectin as an edible coating on the storage quality and the shelf life during refrigerated at 15°C. Fruits were tested for physiological weight loss, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity and total sugars during storage and ripening. Coated tomatoes at Red stage were subjected to statistical analysis at 5% significant level. Fruits coated with 5% pectin solution were found to be the most effective in minimizing the weight loss by 1.56% at red stage. Tomatoes coated with 3% of pectin showed greater retention of titratable acidity and total sugars of 0.39% and 20.2% and reduced the ascorbic acid loss by 2.39 mg% respectively, during the storage and ripening. The ripening of tomato fruits was delayed by the coating and the tomatoes coated in 3% pectin solution were kept for 24 days without decay. In sensory analysis, the highest overall acceptability was observed in the tomatoes coated with 3% pectin solution compared to other treatments. Based on these results, tomatoes coated with 3% of pectin solution stored at 15°C were selected as the best treatment to maintain the post storage qualities during ripening