The Use of Ultraviolet Radiation in Enhancing the Shelf Life of Some Tropical Fruits and Vegetables
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Abstract
Fruits and vegetables serve as vital sources of essential vitamins for the human body. However, they are susceptible to premature spoilage due to the presence of pathogenic microorganisms. Ultraviolet radiation has been employed for sterilizing food to mitigate microbial contamination. This paper explores the application of ultraviolet C (UVC) irradiation for the sterilization and shelf-life extension of locally grown tropical fruits and vegetables, specifically orange, pepper, and okra, in Benue State, Nigeria. The study investigates the UVC dose-dependent effects of UVC on shelf life and proximate composition of tropical fruits and vegetables. For irradiation, the samples were placed at the irradiation point 15 cm from the UV source of a UVC irradiator. Each group was irradiated with different UV doses. The exposure times were 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, and 30 minutes. An unirradiated group was used as the control. The doses for these exposures were 0 Jcm-2, 2.468 Jcm-2, 3.290 Jcm-2, 4.113 Jcm-2, and 4.936 Jcm-2 respectively. The optimal irradiation times for sterilization and shelf-life extension were determined to be 15 minutes for pepper and 15 minutes for orange, with an irradiation dose of 2.468 Jcm-2. These exposures extended the shelf life of pepper and orange by 12 and 15 days, respectively, without significant effects on their proximate composition. However, the sterilization doses for okra resulted in severe discolouration within 24 hours, making them unsuitable for the shelf-life extension. The findings highlight the potential of UVC irradiation as an effective method for preserving fruits and vegetables, with implications for reducing post-harvest losses and improving overall crop quality.
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