Effect of some Postharvest Treatments on Quality and Storability of Lettuce during Cold Storage

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Postharvest and Handling of Vegetable Crops, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Lettuce heads (Lactuca sativa L.) cv. Iceberg were harvested at a suitable maturity stage of marketing in the 2024 and 2025 seasons to study the impact of some postharvest treatments [chitosan (CS) at 1% and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at 1% separately and each of them in combination with L-cysteine (L-Cys) at 1% and ascorbic acid (AsA) at 5%], besides an untreated control (spray with distilled water), on preserving quality and enhancing storability of lettuce heads during storage at 0°C and 95% relative humidity for 16 days. The obtained results revealed that all postharvest treatments were the most effective treatments in preserving head quality attributes, controlling the discoloration of heads, and overall appearance of lettuce heads in comparison with untreated control. However, lettuce heads treated with CMC at 1% + L-Cys at 1% were the most effective treatment in lowering weight loss percentage, discoloration, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, polyphenol oxidase activity, and maintained quality attributes (firmness, ascorbic acid content, TSS, and total phenols) and gave an excellent appearance after 16 days of storage at 0°C.

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History

  • Receive Date: 15 April 2025
  • Revise Date: 11 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 16 July 2025

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