Effects of Modified Atmosphere Packaging and Low Temperatures on the Physico-Chemical Changes and Shelf Life of Banana

The postharvest treatments included control, low temperatures (14 and 18°C) and plastic bags with or without perforations. Changes in different physico-chemical characteristics of fruits were studied during storage. The two factor experiment was laid out in completely randomized design with three replications of 10 fruits. Among the physico-chemical parameters, colour, firmness, total weight loss, pulp to peel ratio, moisture content, sugar content (total, reducing and non-reducing), TSS and titratable acidity increased but vitamin C and dry matter contents decreased with the progress of storage duration. At the 16th day of storage, maximum weight loss (24.64%), disease severity (47.77%), disease incidence (100%) were observed in control (untreated bananas), whereas significantly reduced levels of weight loss (10.21%) and (12.22%), disease severity (0.58%) and (0.64%), disease incidence (13.33%) and (18.16%) were recorded in bananas stored at 14°C and 18°C respectively. The lowest total sugar (16.29%), pulp to peel ratio (2.22), dry matter content (23.5%), titratable acidity (0.35%) and highest total sugar content (26.70%), pulp to peel ratio (3.87), dry matter content (47.3%), titratable acidity (0.50%) at the 16th day of storage in bananas held at 14 and 18°C temperature respectively. The shelf lives of (37.16) and (34.25 days) were observed in those bananas held at 14 and 18°C temperatures, respectively when wrapped with unperforated plastic bags. The untreated bananas have the shortest shelf life of (15.34 days).