Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of harvest time (November or January) and postharvest treatments (hot water (50°C), H2O2 (1%), NaOCl (175 ppm)) and nonwashed-control of carrots (Daucus carrota L. cv. ‘Maestro F1’) on the changes in nutrient composition and texture under different storage conditions (S-1: 0°C, 98% RH; S-2: 0–2°C, 85–92% RH). Weight loss and quality changes in carrot roots were evaluated after 120 and 180 days of storage period (SP). After SP weight loss ranged from 3.20% (carrots from the first harvest in S-1 with H2O2 treatment) to 34.51% (carrots from the first harvest in S-2 with hot water treatment). Dry matter (DM) content in carrot roots varied in dependence of the harvest time (9.57– 12.22%) and increased after the SP exept in carrot from first harvest with hot water and H2O2 treatments in S-1. Total sugar content (TSC) increased after SP, more in S-2 cooling room. Vitamin C content in carrot roots decreased more in S-2 (20.7–52.3%) in comparison to S-1 storage conditions (2.0–18.2%). The hardness and flexibility of carrot roots increased after SP for all treatments. Prestorage washing treatments (H2O2 or NaOCl) and storage in S-1 storage regime at temperature (0°C) with a high relative humidity 98% maintained quality of carrot root.
