Effects of shrink film wrapping, wax coating and paper packaging on the quality ‎attributes of pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) cvs. ‘Eshkafto’ and ‘Rabbab’ ‎during cold storage

This study investigated the effects of six postharvest treatments including: 1) wrapping with shrink film, 2) wax coating, 3) paper packing, 4) wax coating plus film-wrapping, 5) wax coating plus paper packing, 6) uncovered, on the physicochemical quality attributes of pomegranate, cvs. ‘Eshkafto’ and ‘Rabbab’. Treated fruits stored at 3.5 °C and about 85 % relative humidity for up to 12 weeks. Mean weight loss of pomegranate cvs. ‘Eshkafto’ and ‘Rabbab’ was lower in film-wrapped (1.19%), wax coated plus paper packed (1.94%), wax coated (3.67%) and paper-packed fruits (4.27%) compared with uncovered fruits (9.61%), respectively. However, the efficiency of wax coating plus film-wrapping in reducing weight loss (1.01%) was not superior to film-wrapping alone (1.19%). Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of film-wrapped and also wax coated plus film-wrapped fruits of cv. ‘Eshkafto’ significantly were higher than that, control fruit, but with cv. ‘Rabbab’ only total anthocyanin of these treatments were higher than control fruit. Film wrapping plus wax coating also was highly effective in reducing electrolyte leakage in the husk of fruits and might be enhanced low temperature tolerance in pomegranates. Cultivar ‘Eshkafto’ had the highest contents of total phenolic, total anthocyanin, total soluble solids, titratable acid, ethanol and antioxidant activity.