HOT WATER TREATMENT: A TECHNICAL PRESERVATION TECHNIQUE FOR STORAGE OF HORTICULTURAL COMMODITIES

Abstract

All fruits and vegetables generally known as horticultural commodities have short post-harvest 
life. Various methods has been adopt to store horticultural commodities for longer duration 
with less physiological disorder and high market value using preservative chemicals. A 
significant advantage of hot water treatment is the absence of chemical residues on the fruit
surface. Hot water treatment effects on the physiology of fruit after harvest. It delays
maturation, slow rate of flesh softening and pectin solubalization, and reduce ethylene 
production. Hot water treatments significantly retard the decrease in fruit volume, firmness, 
ascorbic acid, acidity and juice content of horticultural commodities. The hot water dipping for 
various times also decrease total soluble solids, TSS-Acid ratio, pH, weight loss and disease 
incidence of horticultural commodities.