RESPONSE POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF POMEGRANATES TO THERMAL TREATMENTS, IMMERSING IN BLACK SEED AND FLAXSEED OILS

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate thermal treatments, immersing in black seed and flaxseed oils on postharvest quality pomegranate fruits cv. Salakhan . Fruits were randomly divided into two experiments: First, thermal treatment by which fruits are immersed for four minutes at 25, 40 and 50°C in hot water (HW), and fruits are exposed to hot air (HA) for one hour at 40 and 50°C plus control treatment. Second, fruits are immersed for 4 minutes in 1 and 2% for the black seed and flaxseed oil, plus control treatment. Then, fruits are placed in the storage at 5±1 ºC and 85-95% of relative humidity for four months. Both experiments performed by using Complete Randomize Design. The results were indicated that soaking fruits in HW for four minutes at 40°C significantly decreased the weight loss and physiological disorder, whilst significantly increased most of studied attributes compared to control. However, HA treatments exposure for 1 hour at 40 and 50°C, with increasing in the HA levels, decreased the weight loss and physiological disorder, but increased some of studied attributes compared to control. Moreover, the immersing fruits in 1% black seed or 1% flaxseed oil significantly reduced weight loss and physiological disorder. In addition, the immersing fruits in 1% flaxseed oil lead significantly increased most of studied attributes compared to control.

Keywords

• anthocyanin; oil extract; flavonoids; phenols; salakhani pomegranate.