Physico-Chemical Changes of Pectin Skin Coated Mature Green Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) During Ripening

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of pectin as an edible coating on the postharvest quality of mature green tomatoes at 30°C. The tomatoes were dipped Into the concentrations of 1, 3 and 5% (w/v) pectin solutions for 5 minutes and stored at 30 ± 0.5?C and the relative humidity of 75-80%.Physico-chemical properties such as physiological weight loss, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity and total sugars were assessed at each ripening stages. Fruits coated with 5% pectin solution showed most effective result in minimizing total weight loss by 0.87% at red stage compared to control. Tomatoes coated with 3% of pectin showed greater retention of ascorbic acid, titratable acidity and: total sugars of 9.96 mg%, 0.41% and IT.2% respectively during the storage. The shelf life of the tomatoes coated in 3% pectin solution was extended up to. 4 weeks without decay and quality losses. Therefore, tomatoes coated with 3% of pectin solution stored at ambient temperature of 30°C and 75-80% relative humidity would help to maintain the physico - chemical qualities throughout the storage period and during ripening.