Abstract:
A study was carried out to determine the effect of different storage temperatures
and different arrangements during storage of red pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) to its
shelf life. Pitaya fruit were arranged in three arrangements; standing vertically, upside
down vertically and lying horizontally. Each arrangement was kept in two different
storage temperatures which are ambient temperature (28
°
C) and cold room (4
°
C) for 15
days. The control fruits are kept in ambient temperature without speci fie arrangement.
Assessments on weight loss, stem quality, the fruit quality, presence of rots on the fruit
peel and the soluble solids concentration (brix value). These assessments were done for
every three days. After 15 days, the result of this experiment have shown that the fruits
which stored in cold room ( 4
°
C) with standing arrangement, upside down and lying
arrangement gave significant different compared with other treatment in reducing the
weight loss (significant different = 0.00) and maintaining green healthy stem (significant
different =
0.016). From the observation of rots appearance, include blossom end rots
(significant different = 0.007) and body rots (significant different =
0.004), it shows that
these treatments gave no sign of rotting on the fruits pulp and thus maintaining the
quality of fruits for at least 15 days of storage.
