Postharvest Quality and Shelflife of Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia) at Varying Ultraviolet-C Illumination

Abstract

Bitter gourd is highly perishable and is susceptible to senescence showing early signs of weight loss, yellowing, and softening. A study was conducted to determine the optimum exposure period to ultraviolet-C on the postharvest quality and shelflife of bitter gourd, investigate the chemical characteristics of bitter gourd as influenced by UV-C illumination, and evaluate the effects of UV-C illumination on the postharvest quality and shelflife of bitter gourd. An experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five samples per treatment and replicated three times. The treatments were designated as follows: T0 – Control, T1 – 30 mins. UV-C + Ambient, T2 – 60 mins. UV-C + Ambient, T3 – Without UV-C + 20°C, T4 – 30 mins. UV-C + 20°C and T5 – 60 mins. Results revealed that UV-C illumination at varying periods and storage conditions significantly affected the chemical characteristics, postharvest quality, and shelf life of bitter gourd. Fruits subjected to UV-C for 30 minutes and stored at 20°C significantly reduced weight loss, prolonged visual quality and shelf life, and delayed color changes or yellowing after 8 days of storage. Furthermore, oxidation-reduction potential (mV), pH, and chemical characteristics such as TSS and Vitamin C were significantly affected by different UV-C exposure and storage conditions of bitter gourd. UV-C-treated fruits stored at 20°C obtained the highest initial and final oxidation-reduction potential, pH level, and Vitamin C content. Further, the latter treatment had the highest initial and final oxidation-reduction potential, pH level, and Vitamin C content. Fruits subjected to UV-C for 30 minutes and stored at 20°C significantly prolonged the shelf life and maintained the quality of bitter gourd.

Keywords

• Bitter gourd
• ultraviolet-C
• shelflife
• chemical characteristics

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