Tomatoes can be kept field fresh for a period of three weeks
without using cold storage[2]. One economical alternative is to use the
Evaporative Cooling and Modified Atmospheric Packaging (MAP) Technology which
prolongs the storage life of fresh tomatoes under ordinary condition using coco
coir dust, polyethylene (PE) plastic packaging and a suitable crate or
container.
Tomatoes to be stored must be green, firm and free from
injury and mechanical damage to maximize the benefits of this technology. Otherwise, storage period will be shorter than what is expected. Steps: Wash
the tomatoes in water with chlorox (1 tablespoon of chlorox for every 1 liter
of water) to disinfect the fruits from pathogenic microorganisms.
Dry the tomatoes and
pack in PE bags with 2 pinpricks per kilogram of tomatoes. Moisten the coir
dust with chlorox-mixed water and line the base of the container with this.
Place the packed tomatoes in the middle and cover with moist coir dust.
It is recommended
that a kilo of coir dust be used per kilo of tomatoes. How does this technology
work for tomato plants? The PE bag modifies the tomato surrounding by
decreasing oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide. These delay ripening and
discoloration of the peel, reduce weight loss and moisture loss, and reduce in
injuries from chilling. The cooling effect of moist coir dust, on one hand,
also delays ripening of tomato.
No comments:
Post a Comment