THE EFFECT OF ASPIRIN INDELAYING POSTHARVEST RIPENING QUALITY OFSWEETORANGE (Citrus sinensisL.)FRUITS

Fruit ripening are accompanied by changes in several quality aspects such as softening, decrease in total acidity and increase in sugar contents, color development, aroma production. Quality control is challenging as citrus can be stored for extended periods between harvest and consumption. The decay losses in stored orange fruit were mostly brought about by fungus attacks.This study was planned to investigate the effect of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) treatment in improving post harvest quality, shelf life, sugar and antioxidant (as carotenoid) content of sweet orange fruit. The experiment was laid in completely randomized design (CRD) in two replications. Quantitative data were collected for weight loss, vitamin C(ascorbic acid), total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, total titratable acidity and reducing sugars. Experimental result show as for the highest percent weight loss (44.36) was observed for the control(0mM) and the least (4.62) for( 4mM)treatment. The vitamin C content of fruit decreased with the passage of time as well as in response to the concentration of ASA,the highest value (22.83) vitamin C content of the control on the 8thday and the least (15.98)the vitamin C content of the( 4mM )treated fruit on the 8th day.The least chlorophyll (0.14),carotenoid (1.40) and total reducing sugar (2.68) ASA treatment at(4mM) in 8th day storage highly delayed the sweet orange fruit. The result indicated that there were significant differences between control and acetylsalicylic acid(ASA) treated sweet orange fruit samples for all the studied parameters. Quantitative analysis of organoleptic properties of the fruit has shown that the overall increase in reducing sugars, vitamin C and carotenoid contents while chlorophyll, total acidity and weight loss decrease during post harvest ripening of sweet orange fruit. Further studies are required on the effect of storage conditions, cultivar s and environments on fruit quality parameters.