J. Env. Bio-Sci., 2014: Vol.

28 (2): 227-229 ISSN 0973-6913 (Print), ISSN 0976-3384 (On Line)

INFLUENCE OF CHEMICALS ON QUALITY OF PEACH FRUIT, STORED AT

LOW TEMPERATURE
S. K. Jawandha*, P.P.S. Gill, Annu Verma and Navdeep Kaur
Department of Fruit Science
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Punjab, India.
email: skjawandha@pau.edu*

Received: 10-01-2014 Accepted: 17-02-2014

Sub-tropical peaches are grown commercially in the plains of North India. The harvesting period of peach fruit coincides with the
hot summer months and due to high temperature and low relative humidity during this period fruit cannot be stored for longer
period at ambient conditions. Keeping it in view an experiment was planned to maintain the postharvest quality of peach fruits cv.
Shan-i-Punjab with the post harvest treatments of chemicals under low temperature storage conditions. Healthy and uniform
fruits of peach cv. Shan-i-Punjab were treated with sodium bicarbonate (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0) sodium carbonate (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0),
sodium benzoate (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0) and control (water dip) for five minutes. Treated fruits were dried under shade before
packaging. After drying fruits were packed in CFB boxes before storage at 0-1°C and 90-95% RH. Results revealed that lower doses
(0.5% & 1.0%) of chemicals maintained the better fruit quality as compared to higher doses in all the chemical treatments. Fruits
treated with sodium bicarbonate (0.5%) retained the maximum fruit firmness, total sugar content, total phenolics and minimum
spoilage during entire storage period, it was followed by sodium benzoate (0.5%) and sodium bicarbonate (1.0%) treatment.

Peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) is an important temperate
fruit next to apple and pear in India. But, with the introduction
of low chilling cultivars from United States, the peach cultivation
has greatly expanded in the sub tropical region of North India.
In Punjab, varieties like Shan-i-Punjab, Partap and Earli-Grande
are grown commercially.'Shan-i-Punjab' is the leading peach
cultivar of the state due to its better fruit quality and bigger fruit
size in comparison to other cultivars and the fruit of thiscultivars
maturesin first week of May. But, due to high atmospheric
temperature and low relative humidity during its harvesting
period, fruits cannot kept for long period under ambient
conditions. Peach being a climacteric fruit under goes various
physico-chemical changes after harvesting that governs the
quality and post-harvest behavior of the fruit. To extend the
post harvest life and to reduce the post-harvest losses,
scientific information on physico-chemical characteristics
associated with fruit ripening and standard storage method is,
therefore, needed.Fruit shelf life can be extended by
optimization of environmental conditions, minimization of
mechanical damage, application of food additives, edible
coatings and by ionizing radiations1. The use of post-harvest
chemicals ranging from fungicides and fumigants to
antioxidants and GRAS (generally recognized as safe)
chemicals alternative to fungicides has allowed a considerable
extension and storage life of many fruits. Bicarbonates and
carbonates are common food additives for leavening, pH-control,
taste, texture modification and to control spoilage. They also
control many plant pathogens2. Thus keeping it in view the
experiment has been planned to study the effect of chemicals
(sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and sodium benzoate)
on the storage quality of peach fruits cv. Shan-i-Punjab under
low temperature storage conditions.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The experiment was conducted during the year 2013 in the
Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University
Ludhiana. For the storage studies physiological mature, uniform
and healthy fruits of cv. Shan-i-Punjab were harvested in the
first week of May. Only selected fruits were washed with
chlorinated water and subjected to the post-harvest dip
treatments viz; T1-sodium bicarbonate @ 0.5%, T2-sodium
bicarbonate @ 1.0%, T3-sodium bicarbonate @ 2.0%, T4-
sodium bicarbonate @ 3.0%, T5-sodium carbonate @ 0.5%,
T6-sodium carbonate @ 1.0%, T7-sodium carbonate @ 2.0%,
T8-sodium carbonate @ 3.0%, T9-sodium benzoate @ 0.5%,
T10-sodium benzoate @ 1.0%, T11-sodium benzoate @ 2.0%,
T12-sodium benzoate @ 3.0% and T13-control (water dip) for
five minutes. Treated fruits were dried under shade before
packaging. After drying fruits were packed in CFB boxes before
storage at at 0-10C and 90-95% RH. Stored fruits were analyzed
 Influence of Chemicals on Quality of Low Temperature (228)

60

50

40

Spoilage (%)
30

20

10

0
2 4 5 6
Storage period (weeks)
Fig. 2 Effect of chemical treatments on spoilage (%) of cold stored
peach fruits

forfruit firmness, spoilage, total sugars and total phenolics after RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
2,4,5 & 6 weeks of storage. Firmness of randomly selected
Results obtained from the experiment are presented in Fig.1,
fruits was measured with the help of fruit pressure tester. About
2, 3 and 4. Figure -1 depicts the effect of chemical treatments
1 square centimeter of the skin in each fruit from the shoulder
on firmness of peach fruit under cold storage conditions. A
end on both sides was removed with the help of peeler and
significant difference in fruit firmness was observed with
firmness of pulp was recorded and expressed in terms of lb
advancement of storage period. Similarly, a reduction in fruit
force. Per cent fruit rot was calculated by counting the total
firmness with extension in storage period has been
number of fruits that had spoiled at each storage interval. The
observed5.Maximum fruit firmness was observed in fruits
total sugar and phenolic contents of the fruit were estimated
treated with 0.5% sodium bicarbonate, followed by 0.5%
according the method described by3. The experiment was laid
sodium benzoate during the entire storage period. It may be
out in a Completely Randomised Block Design (Factorial) and
due the better maintenance of fruit health during storage by
analysis of data was done using computer programme4.
sodium bicarbonate (0.5%) treatment as compared to other
(229) Influence of Chemicals on Quality of Low Temperature
treatments. Higher doses (2 & 3%) of all the chemicals showed
the less fruit firmness as compared to lower doses (0.5 &1%).
Softening of fruit is caused by the breakdown of insoluble
protopectins into soluble pectin's or by the cellular
disintegration leading increased membrane permeability 6.
Spoilage of fruits increased with the advancement of
storage period (Fig.2), this increase may be due the
disintegration of cell wall and softening of fruits during ripening
in the storage. Fruit softening weaken the barrier for entry of
several pathogens which ultimately lead to fruit rotting. Among
the various post harvest treatments minimum spoilage was
recorded in sodium bicarbonate (0.5%) treatment. Similarly,
the blood orange fruits are strongly influenced by sodium
bicarbonate applications and stored in a good quality for 42
days7. Sodium bicarbonate was a substitute or alternative to
fungicides or chemical materials used in controlling injuries
and fruit deteriorations during storage of citrus fruit for export.
A reduction in the incidence of both green and blue molds up
to 90% after treating artificially inoculated fruit with different
concentrations of Sodium bicarbonate8.
In all the chemicals lower doses were found more effective to
check the spoilage as compared to higher doses.
Total sugars of the peach fruits showed an
inconsistence in trend with the increase in storage period
(Fig.3). An increase in total sugars was observed up to four
weeks in sodium bicarbonate (0.5 & 1.0%), sodium carbonate
(0.5 %) and sodium benzoate (0.5 & 1.0%) treated fruits, but
after five and six weeks of storage decline in sugar content
was recorded in all the treatments. At the end of storage
maximum total sugars were retained by sodium bicarbonate
(0.5%) treated fruits. The increase in sugars during storage
may possibly be due to breakdown of complex organic
metabolites into simple molecules or due to hydrolysis of starch
into sugars. The decline in the sugar content at the later stages
of storage may be attributed to the fact that after the completion
of hydrolysis of starch, no further increase in sugars occurs
and subsequently a decline in sugars is predictable as they
along with other organic acids are primary substrate for
respiration9.
The data revealed that the total phenolics reduced with
the prolongation of storage period (Fig.-4). However, the decline
of total phenolics was less pronounced in sodium bicarbonate
(0.5%) and sodium benzoate (0.5%) treated fruits. Similar
results have also been reported in earlier studies10 in peach
fruit during storage studies. The decline in total phenolics may
be due to higher activity of polyphenol oxidase enzyme during
cold storage.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Financial assistance provided by the University Grant
Commission, New Delhi to conduct the research is gratefully
acknowledged.
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