Effects of Sodium Metabisulphide Treatment and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Cold Storage of Carrots

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium metabisulphide (SMBS) treatment and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality of ‘Nanco F1’ variety of Nantes group carrots grown in Kırıkhan during cold storage. Harvested carrots were placed in imperforated bag, and/or MAP and applied SMBS (dose of 1%) after washing with tap water for 3 minutes and stored at 0±0.5 °C and 90±5.0% relative humidity for 5 months and analyzed every month. In addition, carrots were kept at 20±0.5 ºC and 75±5.0 % relative humidity for 7 days in order to study its shelf life. The weight loss, carrot color (L* and h°), appearance (1-9), rooting and sprouting rate, rooting and sprouting degree, incidence of fungal decay, physiological disorders, carrot firmness, total soluble solid content, pH value, titratable acid content and taste (1-9) were determined during shelf life and storage. According to the findings, weight loss in imperforated bag was higher than MAP treatments during storage. It was determined that using ImPBTW (imperforated bag and washing with tap water) and ImPBTW + SMBS treatments, ‘Nanco F1’ type carrots could be kept at 0 °C for 3 months and 85-90% relative humidity without any quality deterioration. It was also determined that using MAPTW (modified atmosphere packaging and washing with tap water) + SMBS treatment, ‘Nanco F1’ type carrots could be stored for 4 months and using MAPTW treatment, they could be stored for 5 months at 0 °C and 85-90% relative humidity without losing much of the quality for local and distant markets. Also, it was found that SMBS treatments were not sufficient to prevent rooting and sprouting.