In response to the escalating global demand for chemical-free, premium-quality fresh fruits with enhanced nutritional value, researchers and industry stakeholders are facing mounting pressure to develop preservation techniques that extend shelf life and maintain the quality of fruits for longer periods because litchi fruits have a very short shelf life 2 to 4 days at room temperature. To address this critical need, the present study focused on the post-harvest preservation of litchi cv. Rose Scented fruit through the innovative application of gamma radiation and edible coatings treatments. Through comprehensive assessments of various quality parameters, it was found that the application of 1.0 kGy gamma irradiation treatment at a storage temperature of 2 °C proved remarkably effective in preserving the fruit's overall acceptability, decay resistance, total sugar content, while 1.0 kGy gamma irradiation combined with 10 % Aloe vera gel maintained maximum ascorbic acid levels for an impressive duration of up to 20 days.

Gamma radiation, Litchi chinensis Sonn, edible coatings, organoleptic, post-harvest, quality

From the aforementioned experiments, it can be inferred that an integrated approach using gamma irradiation (1.0 kGy) combination with 10% Aloe vera gel proved to be beneficial in marinating the nutritional quality of litchi, especially vitamin C. Both radiation 1.0 kGy and Aloe vera gel were found significantly superior to other treatments in maintaining storage quality and external shelf life to 20 at 2°C. These findings underscore the potential of gamma irradiation as a valuable tool in preserving the quality and extending the shelf life of litchi fruits, presenting promising implications for the fruit industry and offering consumers access to fresh and nutritious produce for an extended period.

Nikesh Chandra, Satish Chand, Omveer Singh, Ranjan Kumar Srivastava and Rajesh Kumar (2023). Effect of Gamma Irradiation and Edible Coatings on the Post-harvest Quality of Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) cv. Rose Scented. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(8): 496-500.