Effects of different water temperature treatment and packaging materials on tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum) stored in ambient temperature

Abstract

This study was conducted at Laboratory of Postharvest Technology, Faculty of Agrotechnology and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruit at stage 4 was divided into three groups to treat with different water temperature and also packed in different packaging materials. One group was treated with water at temperature 40 ° C while another group was treated with water at ambient -temperature (28 ° ). Another group was for control. Then each group was divided into three sub-groups for different packaging materials. Packaging materials used are polypropylene plastic bag, shrink wrap and no packaging. Then all the samples were left in room temperature (28 ° C). The result was taken at 2 days interval. Results showed that the best treatment for tomatoes stored in ambient temperature was tomatoes treated with water at 40 ° C and packed in polypropylene bag. The result obtained was not supported by analytical analysis because the overall result obtained was not significant, (p>0.05).