Effect of hot water treatment on quality and shelf-life of Keitt mango.
Kumah P., Appiah F., Opoku-Debrah J. K.
Author Affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, College Of Agriculture And Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Agriculture and Biology Journal of North America 2 : 806-817
Abstract : Mango anthracnose, a major postharvest disease, induces huge losses in mangoes and threatens mango export and consumption. The effectiveness of hot water treatment as a postharvest disease control measure on Keitt cultivar of mango was assessed over a 21-day storage period. Batches of fruits were subjected to various degrees of hot-water treatments at temperatures 48°C, 50°C, 52°C and control (tap-water - 33°C) for various durations (each treatment had different time duration of 5 and 10 minutes). Fruits were stored at room temperature (33°C). Hot water treatments at 52°C/10 min, 52°C/5 min, 50°C/10 min and 50°C/5 min proved to be effective in controlling anthracnose disease on Keitt fruits after 7 days in storage, whereas the control showed the highest incidence. Hot water treatment at 52°C/5 minutes, however, proved to be the best treatment that controlled anthracnose in Keitt mango fruits after 21 days in storage. Hot water treatment did not significantly (P>0.05) affect the fruit firmness, pH and total soluble solids.