Research Article
Effect of Chlorination and Aloe Gel on Chemical Attributes of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Fruits Stored in Horticulture Laboratory of Haramaya University, Ethiopia
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 4, August 2025
Pages:
64-76
Received:
28 July 2025
Accepted:
8 August 2025
Published:
26 August 2025
Abstract: Post-harvest loss is the most challenging obstacle, which decreases the amount and quality of tomato fruits intended for consumption in Ethiopia. A study was aimed to see the impact of Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and Aloe Gel (AG) on some chemical qualities of tomato fruits at ambient condition. The shanty PM tomato fruits harvested at turning stage were used as experimental material. The treatment was arranged as a factorial experiment using a completely randomized design with three replications, and data were analyzed using SAS statistical software. The treatments comprised of four rates of NaOCl (0 ppm, 100 ppm, 200 ppm, and 300 ppm) and five levels of AG (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). The result of the study indicated that the treatments have significantly (p≤0.01) maintained the titratable acidity (TA) and ascorbic acid. Fruit samples treated with 200-ppm NaOCl +100% AG displayed the highest value of fruit titratable acidity (0.34%), minimum value of fruit TSS to TA ratio (as low as 15.0) at the end of storage period. Ascorbic acid content was significantly maintained at higher level (14.63) by use of 300 NaOCl + 75 AG. While the total soluble solid (TSS) was significantly affected by the interaction of the treatments only at the 12th and 20th day, the interaction of the treatments did not show any significant effect on the pH of the fruits during the storage period. Based on cost and benefit analysis of the treatments from the present experiment, the combination of NaOCl and AG treatment, i.e. 200 ppm NaOCl + 100% AG could be suggested for maintaining the quality attributes like TA and TSS to TA of the stored fruits. Beside this, 300 NaOCl + 75% AG treatment could be used in keeping ascorbic acid at normal level. However, to reach at conclusive recommendation further experiments that consider different tomato varieties, maturity stages and postharvest treatments are recommended.
Abstract: Post-harvest loss is the most challenging obstacle, which decreases the amount and quality of tomato fruits intended for consumption in Ethiopia. A study was aimed to see the impact of Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and Aloe Gel (AG) on some chemical qualities of tomato fruits at ambient condition. The shanty PM tomato fruits harvested at turning stag...
Show More
,
Tewodros Bezu
