IMPACT OF MORINGA OIL COATING ON POSTHARVEST QUALITY AND STORAGE STABILITY OF LEMON, MUSAMBI, AND SWEET ORANGE

Abstract

The loss of citrus fruits after harvest has been primarily attributed to their rapid physiological and microbiological deterioration. The current investigation was conducted to establish the impact of moringa oil coating on the quality and storage life of three species of citrus fruits, namely lemon, musambi, and sweet orange, stored for 21 days. The citrus fruits were divided into coated and uncoated samples, and the variation in non-destructive parameters (physiological weight loss, incidence of decay, firmness) and destructive parameters (ascorbic acid content, total soluble solids, and pH) was estimated at 7-day intervals. The outcomes showed a progressive reduction in ascorbic acid content and consistency, with a corresponding increase in total soluble solids, pH, weight loss, and decay incidence with storage. However, the moringa-coated fruits showed a significant decline in weight and decay incidence, along with enhanced firmness and chemical quality retention compared to uncoated fruits. The beneficial role of the coating was more evident after 14 days of storage. In general, moringa oil coating was seen to be a beneficial means of increasing the postharvest life of citrus fruits, illustrating its effectiveness as a natural and economic postharvest treatment.