Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Different Starch Sources as Edible Coating on Preserving Lemon Fruit under Cold Storage Conditions

This experiment was carried out during the two successive seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 to investigate the influence of un-irradiated and irradiated starch with gamma rays at 20 kGy of corn, sweet potato and cassava as an edible coating at 2% concentration on enhancing the storage ability and increasing the storage period of lemon fruits under cold storage conditions. Data revealed that lemon fruits coated with irradiated cassava starch scored the lowest weight loss percentage and respiration rate at the end of the storage period, whereas lemon fruits coated with both un-irradiated and irradiated cassava starch scored the highest general appearance of lemon fruits at the end of storage period .As for fruit colour, lemon fruits coated with irradiated cassava starch followed by irradiated sweet potato starch scored higher fruit lightness (L*) value and lower density of yellow colour (h degrees) value than un-coated fruits especially at the end of the storage period. As for the fruit chemical constituents, fruits coated with cassava starch had higher titratable acidity percentage, soluble solids content and ascorbic acid concentration than those handled by other treatments at the end of the storage period.