EFFECT OF STORAGE PERIOD AND POSTHARVEST CALCIUM SALT TREATMENT ON MICROBIAL GROWTH OF FRESH-CUT CANTALOUPE (CUCUMIS MELO L. RETICULATUS 'GLAMOUR')

The growth of microorganisms in fresh-cut fruits is a common biological change when they are subjected to storage for a few days. The application of calcium salts as part of the fresh-cut treatment is possible to delay the undesirable biological changes. The effects of calcium chloride and calcium lactate were observed on the total plate count (TPC) and the yeast and mould (YM) of fresh-cut cantaloupe after 19 days of storage at 2°C and 87% relative humidity (RH). Before processing, one group of cantaloupe was stored for less than 24 hours and another group was stored for three weeks at 10°C and 90±5% RH. After their respective storage periods, both groups were prepared as fresh-cut samples, which were treated with of 1% calcium chloride and 1% calcium lactate. The growth rates of the total plate count (TPC) and yeast and mould (YM) of the calcium treated fresh-cut cantaloupe were found to increase throughout the 19 days of storage. However, the TPC and YM growth of the fresh-cut cantaloupe treated with calcium lactate increased at a slow rate. Therefore, 1% of calcium lactate was found to be sufficient to reduce the growth rate of microbes.