EFFECT OF RATIO OF BEES WAX AND CARNAUBA WAX IN MIXED WAX ON RESPIRATION RATE, WEIGHT LOSS, FRUIT DECAY AND CHEMICAL QUALITY OF VIETNAMESE PASSION FRUITS DURING LOW TEMPERATURE STORAGE

Abstract

This research aims at studying the impacts of ratio of bees wax and carnauba wax in mixed wax (MW) on weight loss, respiration rate, fruit decay and the chemical quality of the Vietnamese fresh purple passion fruit in storage period at low temperatures. Firstly, the MW1, MW2 and MW3 were made from bees wax and carnauba wax with 2 to 1, 1.5 to 1 and 1 to 1 ratios respectively at concentration of 8%. After that, passion fruits were coated in MW1, MW2 and MW3 for thirty seconds and dried for eight hours at room temperatures. After that, they were stored at 5±1°C for 42 days. The control was uncoated fruits. The rate of respiration, weight loss and fruit decay and total microorganism, chemical quality, content of total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity and content of vitamin C were monitored during the storage period. According to the results, the MW1 treatment had the lowest rate of respiration rate, fruit weight loss, fruit decay and total microorganisms for a 42 day duration in storage. Besides, this control and all treatments could preserve the chemical quality of the passion fruit in terms of TSS content, total titratable acidity and content of vitamin C during storage time with insignificant difference (P≥0.05).