Effects of different postharvest treatments on the physicochemical properties and shelf life of fresh-cut Mango and Guava

Fresh-cut fruits are susceptible to postharvest storage due to their rapid physiological, biochemical and microbial alterations. This study was carried out to evaluate the commercial and nutritional aspect of fresh-cut mango and guava at 0, 3, 6, and 9 days intervals at 4 0C with various treatments. The specimens were collected from the horticulture department of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur and analyzed for acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin-C, moisture, ash, microbial status and their overall storage stability. The baseline results indicated that the proximate composition of fresh mango was 85% moisture, 1.46% ash, 1.55% acidity, 8.5 0Brix total soluble solids (TSS), 0.93% fat, 0.59% protein and 27mg/100g vitamin-C while the guava had 91% moisture, 0.25% ash, 0.29% acidity, 7.5 0Brix TSS and 41.5 mg/100g vitamin-C. Under different storage conditions, moisture, acidity, and vitamin-C exhibited a considerable reduction, whereas TSS and microbial load markedly increased over time. Among different treatments, 40% sugar solution and 1.67% CMC solution showed high significance by increasing shelf life, conserving higher acidity and limiting microbial accumulation up to 6 days compared to the control. The findings suggest that sugar and CMC solution can be a potential method for preserving fresh-cut mango and guava fruits for short-term storage.