Effect of harvesting date and polyethylene packaging on the storage of Ruby Red pomegranate fruits

Abstract

The aim of this research was to study the effect of packaging with 30-micron-thick low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags on Ruby Red pomegranate fruits harvested during the 2023 season during the traditional harvest period in Hama Governorate, Masyaf area, Rab'u village, at three consecutive harvest dates with a five-day interval between each harvest (155, 160, and 165 days after full flowering). The fruits were placed in polyethylene bags and stored at 5°C and 90% relative humidity. Samples were taken monthly, and chemical analyses and various measurements were performed in the laboratories of the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering at LattakiaUniversity.Average values of fruit weight loss, total acidity, total soluble solids, and sensory characteristics of the fruits were calculated and expressed as percentages. Data were analyzed using SPSS.

Packaging with polyethylene bags was found to have a significant effect in reducing average fruit weight loss during storage, with the lowest loss occurring at the end of storage. The average weight loss values for the packaged fruits did not exceed 2.94%, 2.76%, and 2.16% for the three dates, respectively, while for the control fruits, they reached 6.94%, 6.15%, and 5.45% for the three dates, respectively. The harvest date also had an impact on the evaluation of the sensory properties of the fruits, and packaging also appeared to have an impact on some of these properties.