Studies on cold storage behaviour of baramasi lemon

The present investigation was carried out in Department of Horticulture, Khalsa College, Amritsar to study the effect of different treatments on storage life of lemon under cold storage conditions. These treatments were: individual seal packaging of fruits in HDPE 10 and 20μm, LDPE 100 and 200 gauge, news paper and tissue paper, fruit packaging in rice straw and shredding and wax coatings (Stayfresh – 451, Stafresh and Citrashine). Polyethylene wrapping was found to be significantly effective than all other treatments for increasing the storage life and maintaining physico-chemical properties. HDPE (20μm) was best treatment found to show minimum PLW, spoilage losses, retaining higher juice content. Minimum increase in TSS content was observed in fruit wrapped in HDPE of greater thickness. There too was lowest decrease in acidity and ascorbic acid content in fruit wrapped with HDPE (20 μm) film. Highest physiological loss in weight (PLW), spoilage losses were observed in fruit which were kept under control. However, in ‘all treatments PLW, spoilage lossesand TSS increased while retention of juice percentage, acidity consumer's acceptability and ascorbic acid content was recorded more with the prolongation of storage period.