EFFECT OF GAMMA IRRADIATION AND BIOPRESERVATIVE ON QUALITY OF TOMATO

Abstract

Tomato is one of the most economically important fruit vegetable facing greater problems in storage because of its perishable nature and reduction of quality. The irradiation technology plays an important role in controlling the food spoilage by microorganism, and also enhances the shelf life. The irradiation treatment was carried out at Institute of Food and Radiation Biology, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka, while the parameters were studied at Postharvest Laboratory of Department of Horticulture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Tomatoes were treated with gamma irradiation of different doses i.e. Ra 0 : 0.00 kGy, Ra 1 : 0.25 kGy, Ra 2 ii

: 0.50 kGy, Ra 3 : 0.75 kGy, Ra 4 : 1.00 kGy. Three different concentrations of aloe vera gel e.g. A0: control, A1: 50% aloe vera gel, A2: 100% aloe vera gel were used in this present study. Results revealed that 0.75 kGy irradiated fruits reduced percentage of weight loss, disease severity, delay ripening, prevented moisture loss (%) and maintained better quality in terms of titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), p H , lycopene, ascorbic acid content, β-carotene content, and prolonged shelf life compared to other gamma irradiation treatment. Aloe-vera gel also increase the shelf life of tomato and maintain better quality as irradiation. Significant variations were found in both shelf life and quality of tomato in Ra3A2 (100% aloe vera gel+ 0.75 kGy irradiation). The highest shelf life was 18 days where the lowest value were observed from control treatment. From this experiment it can be concluded that effect of 0.75 kGy radiation and 100% aloe vera gel coating is very much suitable for higher shelf life of tomato