EFFECTS OF VARIOUS SURFACE TREATMENTS (PALM OIL, LIQUID PARAFFIN SAMPERFRESH OR STARCH SURFACE COATINGS AND LDPE WRAPPINGS) ON THE STORAGE LIFE OF GUAVA (PSIDIUM GUAJAVA L.) AT 10°C

Guava can be stored for only a few days at room temperature and experience moisture loss, surface enzymic browning, shrivelling and development of fungal rots under cold temperature storage. The effect of surface treatment of 'Vietnamese' guava with 2–3% starch, 10–20% liquid paraffin, 0.75–1% fatty acid sugar esters (samperfresh), 10–20% palm oil and LDPE shrink/clingwrap on the storage life at 10°C were studied. 20% palm oil surface coating was found to be the best treatment for maintaining the quality of fresh guava stored for 2 months at 10°C, followed by LDPE shrinkwrap and LDPE clingwrap. The advantage of palm oil surface coating over man-made fatty acid sugar esters (samperfresh) is their cheaper cost and their ability to withstand the effect of condensation upon removal of the fruit to a warmer environment. Samperfrest was less effective and Paraffin was not suitable for guava, since it caused skin lesioning and impart an unfavourable flavour to the fruit. Starch surface treatment caused greater deterioration of the guava than in the untreated fruits.