Application of Vapor Heat Treatment to Reduce Chilling Injury Symptoms and Maintain Quality of Papaya (Carica papaya).

Abstract

Papaya (Carica papaya) is a perishable fruits with has limited postharvest shelf-life because of its high metabolic activities during storage. Low temperature storage is common method to extend shelf-life of papaya fruits. However, long term storage at low temperature (below 10 oC) are susceptible to chilling injury (CI). One of the effort can be applied to reduce chilling injury symptoms is heat treatment. Heat treatment not only reduce the chilling injury symptoms but also control pests and diseases and maintain postharvest fruit quality. There are three methods of heat treatment i.e hot water treatment (HWT), hot air treatment (HAT) and vapor heat treatment (VHT). The objective of this study was to examine the effect of vapor heat treatment in alleviating chilling injury and maintaining quality of papaya fruits at different temperature storage. This research used papaya fruits cultivar Calina (IPB-9) with average weight of 0.8-1.0 kg. Papaya fruits were sourced from farmer orchad in Semplak, Bogor. Papaya fruits were treated in vapor heat at 46.5 oC for 15 and 30 minutes and following VHT, papaya fruits were cooled with water dip to adjust the temperature. After the treatment, papaya fruits were stored at 5 oC, 13 oC and room temperature (26-30 oC). Parameter measure involved chilling injury index, respiration rate, weight loss, peel and flesh yellowing, firmness, total soluble solids and Vitamin C contents. The result showed that VHT at 46.5 oC for 15-30 minutes decreased chilling injury symptoms and accelerated climacteric peak two days earlier. Vapor heat treatment at 46.5 oC for 30 minutes decreased weight loss, maintained lightness of peel and flesh and its firmness, accelerated peel yellowing, but decreased total soluble solids and Vitamin C contents. Low temperature storage delayed climacteric peak, peel yellowing, maintained firmness and decreased peel lightness, however it did not affect total soluble solids and Vitamin C contents. The interaction of VHT and temperature storage accelerated peel yellowing, maintained flesh yellowing and firmness but reduce total soluble solids and Vitamin C contents. It was concluded that VHT at 46.5 oC for 30 minutes was the best treatment to reduce chilling injury and maintain the papaya quality for three weeks.