Banana ( Musa spp.) is a highly perishable fruit that requires special handling. In Eritrea, post-harvest handling practices are characterized to be poor and as a result, poor fruit quality and high post-harvest loss are common. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different post-harvest handling and ripening methods on quality and shelf-life of banana. A Complete Randomized Design (CRD) was used for evaluating a combination of two levels of post-harvest handling and four ripening methods in a factorial combination conducted in the laboratory of Horticulture at Hamelmalo Agricultural College. Peel colour change, physiological weight loss, pulp to peel ratio, total soluble solids (TSS), pulp pH, ripening period and shelf life were parameters studied. The results showed fruits treated with ripened tomato showed improved characteristics in all parameters compared to those treated with smoke from kerosene burning or mixed with moringa leaf. Similarly, fruits brought directly from the farm were better than those collected from the ripening room after passing the conventional post-harvest handling. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that ripening of banana with the help of tomato improves fruit quality and shelf life. Thus, it can be a safe and better alternative to smoking from kerosene burning. While moringa leaf has no potential as an alternative.
KeywordsPost-Harvest HandlingBananaRipeningQualityShelf Life
Duan, X., Joyce, D.C. and Jiang, Y. (2007) Post-Harvest Biology and Handling of Banana Fruit. Fresh Produce, 1, 140-152.
Adane, Z.W., Ibrahim, A.M., Yohannes, D.B. and Welde-Meskel, T.A. (2015) Effect of Traditional Kerosene Smoking and Ethrel on Ripening, Shelf Life and Quality of Cavendish Banana (Musa sp.). African Journal of Agricultural Research, 10, 4570-4583. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJAR2015.10299
FAO (2020) Medium-term Outlook: Prospects for Global Production and Trade in Bananas and Tropical Fruits 2019 to 2028. Rome.
Zereyesus, Y.A. (203) Chain Management and Marketing Performance of the banana Industry in Eritrea. M.Sc. Thesis, University of the Free State, Free State.
Drar, Y.O. and Thompson, A.K. (2010) Challenges for Certified Organic Banana Production in Eritrea. Journal of Tree and Forestry Science and Biotechnology, 4, 1-6. https://www.globalsciencebooks.info
Goitom, T. (1997) Marketing of Fruits in Eritrea: A Case Study of Banana Distribution. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Groningen, Groningen.
Maduwanthi, S.D.T. and Marapana, R.A.U.J. (2019) Induced Ripening Agents and Their Effect on Fruit Quality of Banana. International Journal of Food Science, 2019, Article ID: 2520179. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2520179
Payasi, A., Mishra, N.N., Chaves, A.L.S. and Singh, R. (2009) Biochemistry of Fruit Softening: An Overview. Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, 15, 103-113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-009-0012-z
Zore, K.R., Desale, S.B., Pujari, C.V. and Pawar, P.P. (2021) Ripening Behaviour of Banana with Different Sources of Ethylene. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 10, 215-226. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2021.1002.027
Subbaiah, K.V., Jagadeesh, S.J., Thammaiah, N. and Chavan, M.L. (2013) Changes in Physico-Chemical and Sensory Characteristics of Banana Fruit cv. Grand Naine during Ripening. Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 26, 111-114.
Thompson, A.K. (2015) Fruits and Vegetables: Harvesting, Handling and Storage. Third Edition, Volume I, Willey, Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118653975
Mebratie, M.A., Haji, J., Woldetsadik, K. and Ayalew, A. (2015) Determinants of Post-Harvest Banana Loss in the Marketing Chain of Central Ethiopia. Food Science and Quality Management, 37, 52-63.
Fikadu, T., Tekele, T. and Markos, W. (2016) Effect of Different Storage Facilities on Ripening and Post-Harvest Quality of Banana (Musa app). International Journal of Research and Innovations in Earth Science, 3, 65-73.
FAO (2018) Post-Harvest Management of Banana for Quality and Safety Assurance: Guidance for Horticultural Supply Chain Stakeholders. Rome.
Gandhi, S., Sharma, M. and Bhatnagar, B. (2016) Comparative Study on Ripening Ability of Banana by Artificial Ripening Agent (Calcium Carbide) and Natural Ripening Agents. Indian Journal of Nutrition, 3, 127-131.
Dadzie, B.K. and Orchard, J.E. (1997) Routine Post-Harvest Screening of Banana/Platain Hybrids: Criteria and Methods. INIBAP Technical Guidelines 2. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome.
Mohammed, M., Wilson, L.A. and Gomes, P.L. (1999) Post-Harvest Sensory and Physiochemical Attributes of Processing and Non-Processing Tomato Cultivar. Journal of Food Quality, 22, 167-182. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4557.1999.tb00549.x
Waskar, D.P., Khedkar, R.M. and Garande, V.K. (1999) Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Shelf Life and Quality of Pomegranate in Evaporative Cool Chamber and Ambient Conditions. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 36, 114-117.
Wills, R.B.H., McGlasson, B. Graham, D. and Joyce, D. (1998) Post-Harvest: Introduction to the Physiology and Handling Fruit, Vegetables and Ornamentals. 4th Edition, CAB International, New York.
Mebratie, M.A., Weldetsadik, K., Ayalew, A. and Haji, J. (2015) Comparative Study of Different Banana Ripening Methods. Science. Technology and Arts Research Journal, 4, 32-38. https://doi.org/10.4314/star.v4i2.4
Ahmad, S., Thompson, A.K. Hafiz, I.A. and Asi, A.A. (2001) Effect of Temperature on the Ripening Behavior and Quality of Banana Fruit. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 3, 224-227.
Klee, H.J. and Giovannoni, J.J. (2011) Genetics and Control of Tomato Fruit Ripening and Quality Attributes. Annual Review of Genetics, 45, 41-59. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-110410-132507
Larotonda, F.D.S., Genena, A.K. Dantela, D. Soares, H.M., Laurindo, J.B., Moreiraand, R.F.P. and Ferreira, S.R.S. (2008) Study of Banana (Musa aaa Cavendish cv Nanica) Trigger Ripening for Small Scale Process. Brazilian Archive of Biology and Technology, 51, 1033-1047. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-89132008000500021
Ademe, B.E. and Tanga, A.A. (2017) Retrospective Analysis of Moringa Leaf as a Substitute to Ethylene Gas in Hastening Ripening of Banana Fruit. American Journal of Food Technology, 12, 186-192. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajft.2017.186.192
Tourky, M.N., Tarabih, M.E. and El-Eryan, E.E. (2014) Physiological Studies on the Marketability of Williams Banana Fruits. American Journal of Plant Physiology, 9, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajpp.2014.1.15
Hailu, M., Workneh, T.S. and Belew, D. (2014) Effect of Packaging Materials on Shelf Life and Quality of Banana Cultivars (Musa spp.). Journal of Food Science Technology, 51, 2947-2963. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-012-0826-5
Kulkarni, S.G., Kudachikar, V.B. and Prakash, M.N.K. (2011) Studies on Physico-Chemical Changes during Artificial Ripening of Banana (Musa sp.) Variety “Robusta”. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 48, 730-734. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-010-0133-y
Ahmad, S., Perviez, M.A., Thompson, A.K. and Ullah, H. (2006) Effects of Storage of Banana in Controlled Atmosphere before Ethylene Treatments on Its Ripening and Quality. Journal of Agricultural Research, 44, 219-229.
Tapre A.R and Jain, R.K. (2012) Study of Advanced Maturity Stages of Banana. International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies, 1, 272-274.
Tadesse, T.N. (2014) Quality Attributes and Ripening Period of Banana (Musa spp.) Fruit as Affected by Plant Ethylene Sources and Packaging Materials. International Journal of Agricultural Research, 9, 304-311. https://doi.org/10.3923/ijar.2014.304.311
Adi, D.D., Oduro, I.N. and Tortoe, C. (2019) Physicochemical Changes in Plantain during Normal Storage Ripening. Scientific African, 6, e00164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2019.e00164
Newilah, G.N., Tomekpe, K., Fokou, E. and Etoa, F.X. (2009) Physiochemical Changes during Banana Ripening. Fresh Produce: Global Science Books, 3, 64-70. https://doi.org/10.1051/fruits/2009015