Gamma irradiation treatment of quince fruit (Cydonia oblonga Mill): effect on post-harvest retention of storage quality and inhibition of fungal decay

ABSTRACT Quince fruits harvested at commercial maturity were evaluated for using the feasibility of gamma irradiation to maintain storage quality and extend shelf-life. Matured green quince fruits were irradiated in the dose range of 0.3–2.1 kGy followed by storage under ambient (temperature 15 ± 2°C, RH 85%) conditions. The fruits were evaluated at intervals of 5 days for various physico-chemical parameters to investigate the effect. Studies revealed that irradiation treatment significantly (p ≤ 0.05) maintained the storage quality of quince fruit under ambient conditions. Positive correlations (r = 0.88) existed between the irradiation treatment and firmness retention, while as an inverse correlation (r = –0.89) existed between radiation treatment and water soluble pectin. Color scores of the fruits showed that extent of decrease in L value was 13.1% in control fruits compared to 3.4% and 2.8% in 1.8 kGy and 2.1 kGy irradiated fruits after 30 days of storage. Retention of higher hue values (79.8) in 2.1 kGy treated fruits indicated inhibition of chlorophyll degradation at higher doses. Microbial analysis indicated that in samples irradiated at 1.8 and 2.1 kGy, no microbial load was detected up to 15 days of ambient storage and resulted in about 2.4 log reduction in microbial load after 30 days of storage. Dose range of 1.8–2.1 kGy significantly inhibited the decaying of quince and resulted in about 40 days extension under ambient storage