Abstract:
Mango is a highly perishable fruit that has a short shelf life. The irradiation
technology plays an important role in controlling the food spoilage by
microorganism, and also enhances the shelf life. The irradiation treatment was
carried out at Institute of Food and Radiation Biology, Bangladesh Atomic
Energy Research Establishment, Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka, while the parameters
were studied at Postharvest Laboratory of Department of Horticulture, Sher-eBangla
Agricultural University. Mango fruits were treated with gamma
irradiation of different doses i.e. Ra
0
: 0.00kGy, Ra
1
: 0.30kGy, Ra
2
: 0.50kGy,
Ra
3
: 0.70kGy, Ra
4
: 1.00kGy; and stored in two postharvest packaging i.e., nonpackaging
(P
0
) and packaging (P
1
) with low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
Results revealed that 0.70kGy irradiated fruits reduced percentage of weight
loss, disease severity, delay ripening, prevented moisture loss (%) and
maintained better quality in terms of titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids
(TSS), p
H
, ascorbic acid content, β-carotene content, and prolonged shelf life
compared to other gamma irradiation treatment. Perforated LDPE bag (P
1
) also
increase the shelf life of mango and maintain better quality as irradiation.
Therefore, 0.70kGy irradiated fruit stored in perforated LDPE polybag can be
considered the most effective treatment in maintaining better quality and
extending the shelf life of mangoes.
