Effect of Wax Coating on the Quality of Cucumber Fruits during Storage

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to study the effect of waxing (control, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) and storage temperature (room temperature, 15, 10 and 5°C) on cucumber fruits quality. The diameter change, length change, volume change, surface area change, weight loss, hardness change rate, Total Soluble Solids (TSS) were studied as the most important factors affecting the fruit quality. Shelf life of cucumber fruits was also determined. The obtained results indicated that the diameter change decreases with increasing wax solution, meanwhile, the diameter change increases with increasing storage temperature. The length change decreases with increasing wax solution and it increases with increasing storage temperature. The volume change decreases with increasing wax solution, meanwhile, it increases with increasing storage temperature. The surface area change decreases with increasing wax solution but it increases with increasing temperature storage. The weight loss decreases with increasing wax solution but it increases with increasing storage temperature. The hardness change rate decreases with increasing wax solution but it increases with increasing storage temperature. The TSS decreases with increasing wax solution but it increases with increasing storage temperature. The shelf life increases with increasing wax solution but it increases with increasing storage temperature. Nomenclature • DC diameter change (mm) • WC wax coating (%) • T temperature (°C) • LC length change (cm) • WL weight loss (%) • VC volume change (cm 3) • SAC surface area change (cm 2) • H hardness (kg) • TSS TSS change (%) • SL shelf life (hour)