Effect of Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP) Treatment on Shelf-life Extension and Quality Preservation of Jamun (Syzygium cumini Skeels) Fruits during Cold Storage

Abstract

Syzygium cumini Skeels, commonly referred to as Indian blackberry, Jamun, or Java Plum, is a medicinally significant fruit indigenous to India, characterized by its high content of hydrolysable tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, gallic acid, and quercetin. Despite its nutritional benefits, the fruit's perishable nature restricts its postharvest viability to 3–4 days under ambient conditions. To enhance shelf life and maintain quality during cold storage, a study was conducted wherein fully ripe jamun fruits were subjected to postharvest dipping in sodium nitroprusside (SNP) solutions at concentrations of 0.5 mM, 1.0 mM, and 1.5 mM for 5 minutes. Post-treatment, the fruits were air-dried and stored in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film bags at 7 ± 1°C. Control fruits were either immersed in distilled water and stored in open LDPE bags or sealed bags at the same temperature. The results indicated that the 1.5 mM SNP treatment was most efficacious, sustaining physicochemical and functional quality parameters such as reducing physiological weight loss (4.66% after 15 days), preserving ascorbic acid content (31.06 mg/100g), retaining antioxidant capacity (6.65 mg TE/100g FW), and maintaining phenolic content (297.66 mg GAE/100g FW) for up to 30 days. Furthermore, the 1.5 mM SNP treatment effectively preserved total soluble solids (TSS%) at 14.43% and anthocyanin content at 27.52 mg/100g FW at 30 days after storage (DAS). These findings present substantial advantages for farmers and traders by mitigating postharvest losses and facilitating long-distance marketing, while also improving consumer access through an extended shelf life.