Effect of Storage Temperature and Sunflower Oil Emulsion on the Quality of Melons

This research was conducted to determine the best temperature for storing different melon cultivars (ghasry, khaghany, tashkandy) and the best concentration and treatment length for immersion in an emulsion of sunflower oil and sodium bicarbonate. After harvest, precooling and sorting, the melons were treated with an emulsion of sunflower oil (3%, 5%) and sodium 2% sodium bicarbonate for 5 or 10 min. All treatments and the control were placed in cold storage at 1, 5, 10, 18, or 25 °C at 90%-95% relative humidity for 45 days. Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of melons (decay, weight loss, chilling injury, total soluble solids, flesh firmness, sugar content) were measured immediately after harvest and at 15 day intervals. Panel testing was done at the end of storage. The results showed that immersion in 3% sunflower oil and 2% sodium bicarbonate emulsion for 10 min, 5% sunflower oil emulsion and 2% sodium bicarbonate for 5 min, and 5% sunflower oil and 2% sodium bicarbonate for 10 min maintained the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of khaghany cultivar followed by tashkandi and ghasri cultivars. Temperatures of 1 and 5 °C were most suitable for preserving khaghany melons and 10 °C was best for tashkandy and ghasry cultivars.