Assessment of Post-Harvest Storage Stability and Physico-Chemical Properties of Guava (Psidium guajava) at Different Maturity Stages

Abstract

Guava (Psidium guajava) is one of the most popular, export promising, quick growing fruit cultivated throughout the country for commercial purposes. It is an alternative cheap vitamin C rich fruit for peoples of low income level. Cheapest post-harvest storage method is very rare to reduce losses, maintain nutritional quality and increase the consumer acceptability. Therefore, in our present study we measured their physico-chemical composition and the influence of different stages of maturation (immature, mature, ripen) on storage stability at different temperature treatment. We observed the highest post-harvest shelf life (17 days) in ripen guava at T2,13 days (immature and mature) at T2, T3 & lowest 11 days at T1. Maximum weight loss (18%, immature) at T1 and minimum weight loss (0.14%, mature) at T2. High moisture (84.34%ripen) & relatively low moisture (84%, immature). Maximum ash % (4.54%, ripen) & minimum ash % (3.81%, immature).TS (17.79%, immature) followed by (15.72%, mature) & (15.66%, ripen). Vitamin C content suddenly found at peak level in mature stage (118 mg/100 gm) and 86 mg/100 gm, 76 mg/100 gm in immature and ripen stage respectively. pH level gradual decreased according to increase of maturation (immature 4.52 >mature 3.54>ripen 2.92). Green color lasts for 1st three days in immature and mature guava and yellow color lasts till end stage at T1, T2, T3. Olive color was seen in last stage of T2. Black spots were common at last unacceptable stages. Our current research suggests that, wrapped storage at freezing temperature is the suitable inexpensive home level method for highest storage stability for growers which slow down the rate of undesirable changes of guava of all maturity stages. Moreover, mature stage contains the highest vitamin C.