COURSE CODE : BWD 21402 POSTHARVEST TECHNOLOGY

SECTION : 1

ASSIGNMENT : EFFECT OF DIPPING TREATMENTS ON FRUIT &

GROUP : 2

GROUP MEMBERS : 1. NUR NAUFAL BINTI AZNAN (CW200017)

DATE OF EXPERIMENT : 3 APRIL 2022

LECTURER NAME : DR. MUNIRA BINTI ZAINAL ABIDIN

Nur Naufal, Norasyikin, Tay He Yuan, Nur Afiqah, Nurul Liyana

3 April 2022

ABSTRACT

Processing fresh-cut products (i.e. cleaning, dicing, peeled, diced, etc.) to produce
high-quality ready-to-eat products. After the cutting operation, a number of biochemical
events, all exothermic, help to increase the reaction rate of the fruit and the browning of its
damaged surface. The frequency of these physiological events can affect the shelf life of a
product. In particular, fruit browning is a major problem in the fresh-cut fruit industry and is
considered to be one of the main causes of quality loss (Hasan et al., 2017). To control the
occurrence of these reactions, fresh-cut fruits can be submitted to different chemical or
physical treatments.Material that has been used to test browning reaction or maillard reaction
are apple and potato,calcium chloride,citric acid,cutting tools such as knife, fruit slicer,
chopping board, basket, strainer and beaker.There is two method that is short-term hot-water
pre-treatment and dipping treatments with calcium chloride and citric acid. For short-term
hot-water pre-treatment,the whole apples and potatoes without rinds are submerged in
hot-water (60 ˚C) for 30 s, after that rinse,dicing a length 10 mm, a width 10 mm and a height
10 mm of apples and potatoes and maillard reaction recorded for 0,10,20,30,40,and 60
minutes .Perform the same process but use ambient water and maillard reaction recorded for
0,10,20,30,40,and 60 minutes.Second method is dipping treatments with calcium chloride and
citric acid.The apples and potatoes was cut into cubes shape with knife (a length 10 mm, a
width 10 mm and a height 10 mm) .The dice are divided into two groups. A group of apple
wedges and potato wedges dipped in 1% Physiological saline (1 minute), the other group was
immersed in 1% citric acid solution for 1 minute.Observed at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 min
after treatment. The darkening is evaluated as no change, slightly dark, moderately dark and
extremely dark.If something else reacts with the oxygen, enzymatic browning won't occur
and is called as an antioxidant.
INTRODUCTION

Enzymes are generally trapped in the tissues of fresh fruits and vegetables. The enzymes
come into touch with oxygen in the air when the fruit is sliced or squished, or when the fruit
or vegetable begins to break down with age. The fruit will turn brown as a result of this.Due
to enzymatic browning processes, fresh fruits and vegetable products are easily perishable
during postharvest handling. This occurrence has resulted in a severe reduction in food
quality and presentation. To tackle enzymatic browning prevention, a safe and effective
alternative technique derived from natural sources is required. Enzymatic browning is a
natural process that occurs in fruits and vegetables, but it has become a problem in the food
industry. Browning processes have a substantial impact on food quality since they cause
nutritional and sensory characteristics to deteriorate, as well as safety concerns. Enzymes are
chemicals that are trapped inside the tissue of fruits. These enzymes aid in the ripening and
browning of fruit. When a fruit is cut or begins to break down, an enzyme is released from
the fruit's tissue and exposed to air, causing the fruit to change colour quickly. Enzymatic
browning is the term for this process. Oxidation can alter the nutritional value of a fruit or
vegetable in addition to changing its colour. When exposed to air, vitamin C, which is found
in various fruits and vegetables, can oxidise. The longer a fruit is exposed to the sun, the
fewer vitamins it has.

MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY

Short-term hot-water pre-treatment

Firstly, one potato, one apple, one stainless steel spoon, knife, thermometer, hot water,
ruler and two beakers were prepared. Next, the skin of the apples and potatoes were peeled.
The hot water with temperature 60℃ was prepared and the temperature of water was
measured using a thermometer. The apple and potato were cut into half before submerged
into the hot and ambient water. The whole apple and potato without rinds were cut into half,
where one half was submerged in hot water for 30 seconds and another half was used as the
samples of control. A stainless steel spoon was used to forcefully submerged the apple in hot
water. The treated whole apple and potato was drained using a strainer for 2 minutes. After
draining, the apple and potato were cut into cubes. The samples of control were dipped in
distilled water with ambient temperature for 30 seconds. The colour darkening of the samples
was observed visually at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 minutes after treatment. The darkening was
evaluated as no change, slightly dark, moderately dark, and extremely dark.

Dipping treatments with calcium chloride and citric acid

Firstly, one potato, one apple, 1g of Calcium Chloride, 1g of citric acid, 200 ml of
distilled water, two bowls, stainless steel spoon, knife, ruler and weighing scale were
prepared. Next, the skin of the apple and potato were peeled. Apples and potatoes of equal
size of cubes (length 1cm, width 1cm and height 1 cm) were prepared by using a sharp knife.
The cubes were dispensed into two groups. The 1% salt solution (Calcium Chloride) and 1%
citric acid solution were prepared by measuring 1 gram of each chemical and dissolved with
100 ml of distilled water. A group of apple and potato cubes was dipped in 1% salt solution
for 1 minute, and yet the other group was dipped in 1% citric acid solution for 1 minute. The
samples of control were dipped in distilled water with ambient temperature for 1 minute.
After treatment, the cubes were drained with a strainer for 2 minutes and the colour darkening
of the samples was observed visually at 0, 20, 30, 40 and 60 minutes. The darkening was
evaluated as no change, slightly dark, moderately dark, and extremely dark.
RESULT

A. Short-term hot-water treatment

SAMPLE COLOR DARKENING OVER TIME (min)

0 10 20 30 40 60

Potato
treated with
No No No No change No change No change
hot water
change change change

Potato
treated with
No No No No change No change No change
ambient
change change change
water
temperature

Apple
treated with
No No No Slightly Slightly Slightly
hot water
change change change dark dark dark

Apple
treated with
No No No Slightly Slightly Slightly
ambient
change change change dark dark dark
water
temperature

Table 1: Color darkening evaluation over time for potato and apple after hot-water treatment
and ambient water temperature(control) treatment.
Figure 1: Potato and apple at 0,10,20,30,40 and 60 minutes after hot-water treatment and
ambient water temperature treatment.
B. Dipping treatment with calcium chloride and citric acid

SAMPLE COLOR DARKENING OVER TIME (min)

0 10 20 30 40 60

Potato
treated
No No No No No change No change
with
change change change change
calcium
chloride

Potato
treated
No No No No No change No change
with citric
change change change change
acid

Apple
treated
No No Slightly Slightly Moderately Moderately
with
change change dark dark dark dark
calcium
chloride

Apple
treated
No No Slightly Slightly Slightly Slightly
with citric
change change dark dark dark dark
acid

Table 2: Color darkening evaluation over time for potato and apple after treatment with
calcium chloride and citric acid.
Figure 2: Potato and apple at 0,10,20,30,40 and 60 minutes after calcium chloride and citric
acid treatment.
DISCUSSION

Based on the table 1 experiment, the difference in temperature of water affects the browning
of both potatoes and apple. The color of apple in hot water turns brown faster than the apple
in ambient water and the rate of color changes for potato in hot water turn slightly dark after
60 minutes in distilled water. The reason for this reaction to occur is that the temperature of
distilled water is at room temperature which is in hot water. It will result in denaturing the
enzymes in apple and potato. Thus, the browning of apples and potato in hot water is slower
than browning in distilled water.

For part 2, the apple and potato are dipped in 3 different treatments which are calcium
chloride, citric acid and distilled water. The rate of changes in browning for the apple and
potato in citric acid is the slowest followed by calcium chloride and the fastest to turn into
browning is dipped into distilled water. This is because citric acid acts as an antioxidant and
calcium chloride which is salt acts as preservatives for the apple. Enzymatic browning can be
slowed by changing the chemicals required for the browning reaction or changing the
environment where the reaction is happening. Thus, by dipping in salt and citric acid, it will
change the environment and slow down the reaction of browning. Higher acidity inhibits the
activity of the polyphenol oxidase. Therefore, adding citric acid lowers the pH and prevents
enzymatic browning. If something else reacts with the oxygen, enzymatic browning won't
occur and is called as an antioxidant.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion , for part 1 hot water treatment is more faster browning than ambient water.
Ambient water temperature makes polyphenol oxidase reaction decrease causing the
browning reaction to be slow.Suggestion to prevent apples from browning, make a water bath
for apple slices using a ratio of 1 tablespoon lemon juice to 1 cup water. Soak apple slices for
3 to 5 minutes, then drain and rinse. This easy step will keep your apples from browning in
hours.For part 2 , citric acid makes polyphenol oxidase reaction decrease causing the
browning reaction to be slow than calcium chloride .
REFERENCE

1. Hamdan, N., Lee, C. H., Wong, S. L., Fauzi, C. E. N. C. A., Zamri, N. M. A., & Lee,
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