A comparative study on postharvest treatments to extend shelf life of broccoli var. Aishwarya in refrigerated condition

Abstract

Broccoli, due to high perishable nature with high respiratory rate, has a short shelf life of two days once harvested. This crop is gaining importance since it is considered as an anticancerous food. Due to high perishability, the shelf life of this crop is also very short. Postharvest treatments were done with 25 ppm and 50 ppm of Benzyl adenine (BA), hot water at 45 ºC and 48 ºC, 500 ppm and 1000 ppm of Salicylic acid (SA), 50 ppm and 100 ppm of calcium hypochlorite and control treatments were performed in freshly harvested broccoli, and stored in 150 gauge polyethylene bags and stored in refrigerated condition (5±1 ºC, 90-95% RH) to carry out the research work on the extension of shelf life of broccoli by studying the various changes in physicochemical properties viz; physiological loss in weight, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll, total soluble solids content along with sensory analysis for smell, texture, browning as well as marketability of the crop during the storage period. Fresh broccoli treated with Benzyl adenine (BA) gave the highest score for all the parameters taken into consideration during the storage study. Further research work needs to be conducted to study the consumption effect of BA on human health.