No abstract

Sealing and curing was found favourable to maintain the fruit quality and to extend its shelf life upto 6-7 weeks. The treatments also helped in healing and inhibited softening. Higher O 2 and lower CO 2 contents were found in sealed-cured fruit bags. The combined treatment (sealing + curing + washing) was found more effective than individual treatments.

These studies were initiated to observe the effect of curing on the shelf life of damaged citrus fruits by reducing diffusion rate of CO 2 . The damaged peel had a higher diffusion rate of CO 2 than undamaged fruit peel before curing. The effect of curing on peel was that the diffusion rate of CO 2 through damaged and undamaged peel was reduced after curing. The peel of cured fruits did not show any change in diffusion rate of CO 2 after 30 days of storage. Curing could be useful to reduce respiration/exchange of gases and in extending the storage life of damaged citrus fruit.