The effects of different pre-packaging treatments on the quality of kumquat fruit

Abstract

This study aimed at determining the combined effect of pre-packaging treatments. Two surface disinfection (chlorinated and anolyte water), hot water and biocontrol treatments were used. The decay incidence, physiological weight loss (PWL), peel colour, firmness, moisture content (MC) and total soluble solids (TSS) were investigated on kumquat infected with green and blue mould. Fruit subjected to combined treatments displayed better quality, compared to individual treatments. Fruit treated with an integrated treatment of anolyte water, hot water and biocontrol displayed no visible mould growth, the least variation in peel firmness and the least reduction in MC during the 28-day storage period. Chlorinated water only produced the highest decay (13.62%) while fruit subjected to anolyte water only displayed the lowest decay (4.08%) by Day 28. Based on the results, it is recommended that the integration of anolyte water, hot water and biocontrol were among the most effective treatments in maintaining fruit quality.