Application of Microbubble Technology for Improved Efficiency and Reduction in Treatment Time of 1-Methylcyclopropene for Postharvest Ripening Delay of Banana
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Abstract
This research is aimed at evaluating feasibility of using 1-methylcyclopropene microbubbles (1-MCP-MBs) as an alternative postharvest treatment for delaying the ripening of bananas with performance comparison of treating bananas with gaseous fumigation using conventional treatments and without treatment. The effects of immersion time (5, 10, and 15 min), 1-MCP concentration (500, 1000, and 1500 ppb), and microbubble generation pressure (4, 5, and 6 kg/cm2) were tested systematically for 10 days storage period. The results showed the high efficacy of 1-methylcyclopropene microbubbles (1-MCP-MBs) in control of fruit ripening and preventing weight loss when compared with the conventional fumigation with gaseous 1-MCP. The optimal conditions for treating were 1-MCP at 500 ppb, an immersion duration of 5 min, and a generation pressure of 5 kg/cm2. These situations were able to create stable microbubble formation with a high specific surface area resulting in increased adhesion of 1-MCP to the fruit peel. The optimized storage condition resulted in weight loss of 1.68 ± 0.07% during storage for 10 days in comparison to the control weight loss of 3.14 ± 0.56%. Moreover, the treatment using the 1-MCP resulted in a good preservation of the chloroplast integrity and chlorophyll stability, and thus fruit freshness was maintained for over 10 days. Contrastingly, fruits in the control group experienced severe senescing and ripening in 6–8 days. The overall results indicated high potential for 1-MCP-MB technology to be applied as a postharvest technology that can increase competitiveness of banana exports in terms of cost, time, and reduced chemical usage by improved operational efficiency.
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