Facts of Packaging Materials and Storage Environment on Post Harvest Quality of Papaya (Carica Papaya L.)

Abstract

Papaya is a fruit with considerable economic potential in the tropics as there are domestic markets in producing tropical countries and export markets in the sub-tropical and temperate countries In Ethiopia, large quantity of papaya is wasted before it reach the target markets. Because papaya is naturally sensitive to postharvest injuries and mechanical damages due to its thin skin and climacteric type ripening nature. The use of modified atmosphere in combination with cool storage can successfully extend the storage life of papaya fruit. The high density polyethylene packaged fruits characterized by lower weight loss at ambient and evaporative cooler storage compared to the loss in non-packaged fruits stored at ambient condition, low density polyethylene bags maintained better weight compared to newspaper and banana leaf packaging materials. Packaged fruits had more number of marketable fruits than the non-packaged under both ambient and evaporative cooler conditions. The packaging materials of high density polyethylene bags and Low density polyethylene combined with evaporative cool storages have significant effect on maintain shelf life and postharvest quality of papaya compared with banana and news paper packaging materials. But the banana leaves and news paper packaging materials combined with evaporative cool storages also has good effect on maintaining shelf life and postharvest quality of papaya as compared with other packaging materials.

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-1-03

Publication date: January 31^st 2020