Abstract |
An important task of modern producers is not only producing the required volume of production, but also its storage and delivery to the consumer with minimal losses and high quality.The quality of the stored products should be assessed by merchantability of fruits after storage.
The purpose of research – by product quality and natural weight loss, to establish technological expediency of applying antimicrobial agents for postharvest treatment of cherries.
Research methodology. The objects of research – cherries of the cultivar Alpha.
For the research, products were collected in boxes-trays № 5.2 with capacity of 5 kg, were pre-cooled (temperature 0... +2°C). Fruits were treated with solutions: 0.5% sorbic, 0.4% citric acid, 0.7% sodium benzoate and ethanol (95,5%). After the treating they were exposed to the wind, packed in plastic bags and loaded into the camera of durable storage KHR-12M (temperature 0... -1 ° C, relative humidity 95%). Fruits in boxes-trays № 5.2 (control 1) of weight 1 kg, in plastic bags (control 2) put for storage without treating with solutions of antimicrobial action.
Commodity analysis of production was conducted according to the standard. Natural weight loss of cherry was determined by weighting the samples on weight scale VLK-500.
Mathematical data processing was carried out with B.A. Dospekhov on the personal computer in program "Excel 2000", "STATISTICA".
Results of the investigation. With the help of conducted researches was found the benefits of treatment with antimicrobial substances of cherry and preservation of their quality in modified gass atmosphere. Weight loss of the fruits processed by alcohol and solution of sodium benzonate and sorbic acid decreased by 20%, by citric acid – 40% compared to untreated fruits in plastic bags. Commercial yield with the processing by aqueous solution 0,7% of sodium benzoate, 0,5% of sorbic, 0,4% of citric acid amounted 81,0-82,3%.
Conclusions. Treatment of cherries with 0,4% solution of citric acid and storage in modified gaseous atmosphere is the most effective of the studied antimicrobial agents and contributes to the preservation of market condition of fruits on the level of 82,3% and reduces the losses by 40%. |