Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage Vol. 13 (2), December 2022 ISSN (Print): 2305 – 8722 ISSN (Online): 2521 – 8573 R A D S J . B i o l . R e s . A p p l . S c i . 168 Op e n Ac c e s s F u l l L e n g t h A r t i c l e Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage Benish Nawaz Mirani1, Shakeel Hussain Chattha2, Shakeel Ahmed Soomro2*, Bakhtawar Wagan2, Imtiaz Ali Dahri3, Zaheer Ahmed Khan2, Ghassan Zahid4, Babar Mustafa Ansari3 1Institute of Food Sciences and Technology, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, 70060, Pakistan 2Department of Farm Structures, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, 70060, Pakistan. 3Khairpur College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Khairpur, Pakistan 4Department of Biotechnology, The University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, 13100, Pakistan. A B S T R A C T Background: Carrot due to its versatility in culinary uses is considered to be one of the most preferred vegetable. The carrot in Pakistan ranks third among winter vegetables, but due to adoption of improper postharvest techniques and storage, it leads to a great reduction in its quality. Objective: The study was carried out to assess the effect of different treatments on quality characteristics of carrot. Methodology: The study was carried out at the Laboratory of Farm Structures, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Pakistan. Freshly harvested mature carrots free from damage and fungal attack were obtained from field. The carrot samples were subjected to different post-harvest treatments i.e. 40 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes, 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes, 0.4% concentration of calcium chloride (CaCl2) dip for 2 minutes and tap water. Results: The results revealed that moisture content and firmness decreased with increasing storage duration, whereas weight loss, fungal incidence and total soluble solids increased with increasing storage duration. The carrots treated with 0.4% concentration of CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes had maximum moisture content (78.32%) and firmness (4.12 lbs), with minimum weight loss (41.33%), fungal incidence (38.14%) and total soluble solids (10.43%), followed by 40 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes, 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes and tap water. Conclusion: The carrots treated with 0.4% concentration of CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes showed better quality characteristics at the end of storage. The adoption of this treatment should therefore be encouraged in the developing countries for extending the quality characteristics of carrots. Keywords Calcium chloride, carrot, hot water dip, quality, storage. *Address of Correspondence shakeelsoomro@live.com Article info. Received: May 19, 2022 Accepted: December 15, 2022 Cite this article: Mirani BN, Chattha SH, Soomro SA, Wagan B, Dahri IA, Khan ZA, Zahid G, Ansari BM. Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage. 2022; 13(2):168-174. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited. I N T R O D U C T I O N The carrot due to its versatility in culinary uses and its enriched healthy composition, such as protein, carbohydrate, fibre, vitamin A, potassium, and sodium is considered to be the most preferred vegetable1. The carrot in Pakistan ranks third among winter vegetables2. To meet the increasing demand in future, researches are being carried to increase the quantity produced and to improve O R I G I N A L A R T I C L E Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage Vol. 13 (2), December 2022 ISSN (Print): 2305 – 8722 ISSN (Online): 2521 – 8573 R A D S J . B i o l . R e s . A p p l . S c i . 169 post-harvest preservation3. The quality and acceptance of carrots at sale is affected at all the stages of the supply chain i.e. growing, harvesting, storage, cleaning, grading, packaging and distribution. In recent years, the black root rot caused by the fungi has become a key problem for the carrot production4. The disease symptoms, gray black lesions on the carrot surface, usually develop after storage during retailing when carrots are held at room temperature under moist condition5.After harvesting the carrot leads weight loss, discoloration, textural changing and structural break down which ultimately decrease shelf life of the carrots6. Several chemical changes occur during the storage of carrots, including the conversion of polysaccharides to simple sugars and sucrose for reducing sugars, resulting in the release of off tastes, textural alterations, structural breakdown and colour change7. Refrigeration with or without regulation of atmospheric composition is commonly practiced to maintain the quality of fruits and vegetables during storage; whereas it is not economically practical to apply such technologies8. Fungicides prevent whole fruits from rotting after harvest, but they leave residues that can harm humans and the environment9. Sulfites are an efficient chemical preservative, as they are both antibacterial and inhibited enzymatic browning. However, due to negative customer reactions, their use has been prohibited10. Plastic sheets can also help to prevent moisture loss, although they are prone to microbial growth and disposal issues11. Studies have shown that by employing a simple and ecologically friendly methods, ripening and colour can be delayed, water loss and decay can be reduced, and attractiveness can be improved12. Edible films and coatings improves the shelf life of products, limit oxidation and respiration processes, maintain texture and sensory features, and are eco-friendly13. To increase the firmness and to extend the shelf life, calcium dips have been used as firming agents for a variety of fruits and vegetables after they have been harvested. Pathogen germination, speculation and growth, as well as significant colour change, textural breakdown, and ripening and degradation, are all reduced by calcium treatments14. Hot water immersion can also be used a heat treatment technique to control pests and diseases after harvest in fresh perishable commodities15. The overall quality of products when treated with hot aqueous solution and hot water treatment resulted better, when compared without hot treatment16. Similar results for hot water treatment at different temperature has also been reported by Hu et al.17. Keeping in view the importance and necessity of the problem, and to provide a desired environment for maintaining the quality of carrot, the present study was carried out to determine the effect of post-harvest treatments on the quality of the carrot. M A T E R I A L S A N D M E T H O D S The study aiming to assess the effects of treatments on the quality of carrots was carried at Laboratory of Farm Structures, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam. The carrot samples were collected from field at the time of maturity and transported to the laboratory. The sample of carrots were divided into four lots and treated according to the treatments i.e 40ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes (T1), 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes (T2), 0.4% concentration of CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes (T3) and control with tap water (T4).The treated samples were then placed at room temperature in the laboratory, and following observations were recorded (replicated thrice) at an interval of three days. Ambient temperature and relative humidity The temperature and relative humidity were determined by using dry and wet bulb thermometers during the entire storage period. The ambient temperature was directly calculated from dry bulb, whereas relative humidity was determined by Psychrometric chart using dry and wet bulb data. Moisture content (%) A sample of 10g was taken and oven dried at 105ºC for 24 hours18. Moisture content was then determined using the following equation. 100× sample wet ofWeight sample of dry matter- sample wet ofWeight =content Moisture Weight loss (%) An electronic weight balance was used for evaluating the weight loss of carrot for all treatments. Weight loss was determined according to the following formula19. 100× carrotfresh ofWight storageafter Weight -carrotfresh ofWight = lossWeight Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage Vol. 13 (2), December 2022 ISSN (Print): 2305 – 8722 ISSN (Online): 2521 – 8573 R A D S J . B i o l . R e s . A p p l . S c i . 170 Firmness (lbs) A fruit penetrometer with a probe of 15mm was used to measure the firmness of the carrot sample. The carrot was placed on a hard surface. The probe of the penetrometer penetrated the carrot tissue after a force was applied to the surface of the carrot. As a measure of carrot firmness, the force required to enter each tissue was measured20. Fungal incidence (%) Carrot samples were monitored daily at room temperature for signs of degradation. The amount of rotted roots as a percentage of the total number of carrots was then calculated21. Total soluble solids (%) ATC-1E hand-held Refractometer (ATAGO, Japan) was used for determining the total soluble solids at a temperature of 20 ºC. Two drops of carrot juice were placed on the Refractometer plate, recording the TSS percent on the scale accordingly22. Statistical analysis The analysis of variance by statistics software (Statistix Ver. 8.1) was carried out using 2-factorial completely randomized design to examine the effect of treatments on quality of carrots. R E S U L T S A N D D I S C U S S I O N Temperature and relative humidity of the experimental site The ambient temperature ranged between 27.5 to 32.4ºC throughout the storage period, with an average value of 29.45ºC, whereas the relative humidity ranged from 52.4 to 68.5% (Figure 1). Storage conditions such as temperature and relative humidity are the main factors influencing degradation of carrots during post-harvest preservation23. The temperature and humidity ranging between 0 to 1 ºC and RH of 95- 98% accordingly has been reported to be suitable by various researchers24. Low relative humidity during storage and loss in weight of carrots resulted in deterioration of quality. In the present study, it was observed that the temperature and humidity conditions were not suitable for storage causing maximum damage and contamination. Moisture content Mean squares showed significant differences in moisture content for carrot under different treatments, duration and the interaction of treatment × duration (Table 1). Moisture content of carrot decreased with increasing days of storage. The maximum moisture content with 78.32% after 15 days of storage was observed in carrots treated with0.4% CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes, followed by 40 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes, 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes and then with control throughout the storage duration (Figure 2a). The decrease in moisture content may be due to high rate of respiration of carrots and low humidity. Several methods have been used to reduce moisture loss from fruits and vegetables during storage i.e. refrigeration25, high humidity stores26, air tight storages27.Mostofi et al.28reported that various chemical treatment have been used to slow down physiological changes and moisture loss. Bahri & Rashidi29 found a decrease in moisture level of carrot during 14 days storage after post-harvest treatment. 0 3 6 9 12 15 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Relative humidity Temperature Days after storage A m b ie n t c o n d it io n s Figure 1. Temperature and relative humidity during the study. Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage Vol. 13 (2), December 2022 ISSN (Print): 2305 – 8722 ISSN (Online): 2521 – 8573 R A D S J . B i o l . R e s . A p p l . S c i . 171 Table 1. Mean squares of quality parameters of carrots as effected by different post-harvest treatments and storage duration. SOV Df Weight loss Moisture content Fungal incidence TSS Firmness Replication 2 0.6 6.350E-04 1.8 0.0138 1232.85 Treatments (T) 3 240.5** 72.7388** 938.7** 5.3311** 1245.97* Durations (D) 5 11848.1** 478.643** 13524.8** 42.4810** 1276.42* T*D 15 30.3** 5.93163** 77.7** 0.6498** 1234.69* Error 40 0.9 4.565E-04 0.8 0.0085 1233.86 Total 65 - - - - - ** Highly significant at p<0.01, * Significant at p<0.05 0 3 6 9 12 15 0 20 40 60 80 100 Days after storage M o is tu re c o n te n t (% ) 3 6 9 12 15 0 20 40 60 40oC Cacl2 Control 50 o Days after storage W e ig h t L o s s ( % ) 0 3 6 9 12 15 0 1 2 3 4 5 Days after storage F ir m n e ss ( lb s) (a) (b) (c) Figure 2. Effect of treatment and storage duration on moisture content (a), weight loss (b) and firmness (c). 3 6 9 12 15 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 40 o C Cacl2 Control 50 o C Days after storage F u n g a l in c id e n c e ( % ) (a) (b) 0 3 6 9 12 15 0 3 6 9 12 Days after storage T o ta l s o lu b le s o li d s ( % ) Figure 3. Effect of treatment and storage duration on fungal incidence (a) and total soluble solids (b). Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage Vol. 13 (2), December 2022 ISSN (Print): 2305 – 8722 ISSN (Online): 2521 – 8573 R A D S J . B i o l . R e s . A p p l . S c i . 172 Weight loss Mean squares revealed significant variations in weight loss of carrot. The result were significantly different for treatment, storage duration and the interaction of treatment × duration (Table 1). Weight loss of carrots increased with increasing days of storage (Figure 2b). The lowest weight loss with 41.33% was observed in carrots when treated with0.4% CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes, followed by 40 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes (48.32%), 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes (52.94%) and then with control (57.37%). Calcium chloride strengthens the cell walls of fruits and vegetables causing minimal loss when treated with [CaCl2]0.4% dip for 2 minutes. The present results of the study are in agreement with the findings of Niari et al.30, who stated that five minutes of calcium chloride dip of carrots sample was effective in maintaining the weight of the carrots. Similar result has also been observed by Marta et al.31 Firmness The statistical analysis revealed a significant difference among treatment, storage duration and interaction between treatment × duration (Table 1). A decreasing trend (4.96 to 3.41 lbs) with increasing duration was observed for the carrots in all treatments (Figure 2c). The maximum firmness with 4.12lbs after 15 days of storage was observed in carrots when treated with0.4% CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes, followed by 40 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes (3.96lbs), 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes(3.72lbs) and then with control (3.41lbs). The loss of firmness might be due to high rate of physiological process and attack of microorganisms, leading to deterioration and senescence. Zudairea et al.32 stated that postharvest practices significantly affects the quality and physiological changes in products. Koh & Melton33stated that the chemical treatment i.e. calcium chloride reduces the ripening of fruits, resulting with increased firmness. Heat treatment according to Gil et al.34has the tendency of removing disease-causing spores that cause deterioration on the surface of fruits and vegetables. Gonçalves et al.35reported that decay organisms soften fruits and vegetable tissues, which increases the rate of respiration and loss of moisture, and as a result decreases its hardness. Fungal incidence The carrots were initially free from any fungal incidence, which then gradually increased during the entire storage duration as shown in Figure 3a. Mean squares revealed significant differences in fungal incidence of carrot under different treatments, duration and the interaction of treatment × duration (Table 1). The highest fungal incidence with 71.53%was observed in control carrots, followed by 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes, 40 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes and lowest when treated with 0.4% CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes (38.14%). Augspole et al.36 stated calcium chloride is a chemical sanitizer that prevents fungal infections and their associated germinating spores. Kaka et al.37for their study reported that hot water treatment is helpful in decreasing rot spores at the surface of fruits and vegetables. Fallik38 similarly stated that heat treatment has direct effect on fungal pathogens by inactivating germination spores, which can also cause antifungal chemicals in the product that inhibit fungal growth. Total soluble solids The mean squares for total soluble solids of carrots showed significant variations among treatment, storage duration and interaction between treatment × duration (Table 1). Total soluble solids of carrots increased with increasing days of storage (Figure 3b). Minimum values with 10.43% for TSS among the postharvest treatments was observed for0.4% CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes, followed by 40 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes, 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes and then washed with tap water (12.47%). Bahri & Rashidi29 while conducting an experiment on carrots observed an increase in total soluble solids with increasing day of storage. Similar results has also been reported by Rashidi et al.39 and Gupta et al.40, whom reported that the total soluble solids level in carrots significantly increased with storage duration. C O N C L U S I O N S The calcium chloride and hot water treatments showed a significant effect on the quality characteristics of carrots during storage at ambient conditions for 15 days. Carrots treated with 0.4% concentration of CaCl2 dip for 2 minutes showed better quality (high moisture content, low weight loss, high firmness, least fungal incidence and lower total soluble solids) followed by 40 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes, 50 ºC hot water dip for 2 minutes and with control. Storage period significantly increased weight loss, fungal incidence and TSS. However moisture content and firmness of carrots decreased with increasing storage Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage Vol. 13 (2), December 2022 ISSN (Print): 2305 – 8722 ISSN (Online): 2521 – 8573 R A D S J . B i o l . R e s . A p p l . S c i . 173 period. The adoption of treatment viz. 0.4% concentration of CaCl2 for 2 minutes should be encouraged in the developing countries for extending the quality characteristics of carrots. C O N T R I B U T O R S T A T E M E N T Benish Nawaz Miran and Shakeel Hussain Chattha contributed in study conception and design. Benish Nawaz Miran, Shakeel Ahmed Soomro and Babar Mustafa Ansari contributed in performing the experiments. Zaheer Ahmed Khan and Ghassan Zahid contributed in analysis of data. Bakhtawar Wagan, Shakeel Hussain Chattha and Imtiaz Ali Dahri supervised and contributed in interpretation of data. Shakeel Ahmed Soomro contributed in writing the manuscript. C O N F L I C T S O F I N T E R S T No conflict of interest. F U N D I N G S O U R C E None. A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S None. L I S T O F A B B R E V I A T I O N S None R E F E R E N C E S 1. Ilić ZS, Šunić L, Barać S, Stanojević L, Cvetković D, Marinković D. Effect of postharvest treatments and storage conditions on quality parameters of Carrots. J Agric Sci. 2013;5(5):100–6. 2. Samie A, Abedullah, Ahmed M, Kouser S. Economics of conventional and partial organic farming systems and implications for resource utilization in Punjab (Pakistan). Pak Econ Soc Rev. 2010;48(2):245–60. 3. Alasalvar C, Al-Farsi M, Quantick PC, Shahid F, Wiktorowicz R. Effect of chill storage and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, carotenoids, phenolics and sensory quality of ready-to-eat shredded orange and purple carrots. Food Chem. 2004;89(1):69–76. 4. Jabbar S, Abid M, Hu B, Wu T, Hashim M, Lei S, et al. Quality of carrot juice as influenced by blanching and sonication treatments. LWT - Food Sci Technol. 2014;55(1):16–21. 5. Webar R, Tribe H. Moulds that should be better known: Thielaviopsis basicola and T. thielavioides, two ubiquitous moulds on carrots sold in shops. Mycologist. 2004;18:6–10. 6. Rico D, Martín-Diana AB, Frias JM, Barat JM, Henehan GTM, Barry-Ryan C. Improvement in texture using calcium lactate and heat-shock treatments for stored ready-to-eat carrots. J Food Eng. 2007;79(4):1196–206. 7. Ilic Z, Šunic L, Barac S, Stanojevic L, Cvetkovic D, Marinkovic D. Effect of postharvest treatments and storage conditions on quality parameters of carrots. J Agric Sci. 2013;5(5):100–6. 8. Sharma H, Kaur J, Sarkar BC, Singh C, Singh B, Shitandi A. Optimization of pretreatment conditions of carrots to maximize juice recovery by response surface methodology. J Eng Sci Technol. 2006;1(2):158–65. 9. McHugh TH, Senesi E. Apple wraps: a novel method to improve the quality and extend the shelf life of fresh‐ cut apples. J Food Sci. 2000;65(3):480–5. 10. Nilson T. Postharvest handling and storage of vegetables. In: Sheffield, R. L and B. bruckner (eds.) Fruit and Vegetable Quality, economic Publishing Co. Inc., Lancaster U.S.A., 8, 96–121. 2000; 11. Zhang D, Hamauzu Y. Phenolic compounds and their antioxidant properties in different tissues of carrots (Daucus carota L.). Int J Food, Agric Environ. 2004;2(1):95–100. 12. Cheena J, Prashanth, Seenivasan N, Naik H, Saidaiah. Effect of postharvest treatments on storage and quality of carrot cv. new kuroda at ambient temperature. Int J Curr Microbiol Appl Sci. 2020;9(9):2034–40. 13. Rashidi M, Seilsepour M. Total nitrogen pedotransfer function for calcareous soils of varamin region. Int J Agric Biol. 2009;11:89–92. 14. Rashidi M, Gholami M. Determination of kiwifruit volume using ellipsoid approximation and image- processing methods. Int J Agric Biol. 2008;10(4):375– 80. 15. Wszelaczyńska E, Szczepanek M, Pobereżny J, Kazula MJ. Effect of biostimulant application and long- term storage on the nutritional value of carrot. Hortic Bras. 2019;37(4):451–7. 16. Nasrin TAA, Yasmin L, Arfin MS, Molla MM, Nizam- Uddin M. Effect of hot water treatment with organic additives in fresh cut carrot. J Agric Sci Food Technol. 2021;7(1):1–9. 17. Hu J, Zhang M, Li J, Gai X, Ling Y, Zheng K, et al. Effect of delay between hot water treatment and cold storage on quality and antioxidant enzyme system in Effect of Post-Harvest Treatments on Quality Characteristics of Carrots During Storage Vol. 13 (2), December 2022 ISSN (Print): 2305 – 8722 ISSN (Online): 2521 – 8573 R A D S J . B i o l . R e s . A p p l . S c i . 174 cool-stored “Shenqing” cucumber. J Food Process Preserv. 2021;45(5):1–15. 18. Soomro SA, Chen K, Leghari N, Yousaf K, Dahri IA, Ibrahim IE, et al. Response surface methodology for optimization and mathematical modelling of physico- engineering properties of paddy rice. Fresenius Environ Bull. 2019;28(11):7787–94. 19. Soomro SA, Ibupoto KA, Soomro NM, Jamali LA. Effect of storage methods on the quality of onion bulbs. Pakistan J Agric Agric Eng Vet Sci. 2016;32(2):221–8. 20. Rashidi M, Ranjbar I, Gholami M, Abbassi S. Prediction of total soluble solids and firmness of carrot based on carrot water content. Int J Agric Biol. 2010;12(2):237–40. 21. Isaac O, Maalekuu BK. Effect of some postharvest treatments on the quality and shelf life of three cultivars of carrot ( Daucus carota L . ) during storage at room temperature. Am J Food Nutr. 2013;3(2):64–72. 22. Zou Y, Jiang A. Effect of ultrasound treatment on quality and microbial load of carrot juice. Food Sci Technol. 2016;36(1):111–5. 23. Seljasen R, Bengtsson GB, Hoftun H, Vogt G. Sensory and chemical changes in five varieties of carrot (Daucus carota L) in response to mechanical stress at harvest and post-harvest. J Sci Food Agric. 2001;81(4):436–47. 24. Ahmad T, Cawood M, Iqbal Q, Ariño A, Batool A, Tariq SRM, et al. Phytochemicals in daucus carota and their health benefits—review article. Foods. 2019;8(9):1– 22. 25. Veer P V, Jansen MC, Klerk M, Kok FJ. Fruits and vegetables in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Public Health Nutr. 2000;3(1):103–7. 26. Reddy VRS, Rao SD V, Sharma RR. OZone treatments (Taylor & Francis). In: Novel Postharvest Treatments of Fresh Produce. 2017. p. 217–40. 27. Gajewski M, Szymczak P, Radzanowska J. Sensory quality of orange, purple and yellow carrots stored under controlled atmosphere. Not Bot Horti Agrobot Cluj-Napoca. 2010;38(3):169–76. 28. Mostofi Y, Toivonen PMA, Lessani H, Babalar M, Lu C. Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene on ripening of greenhouse tomatoes at three storage temperatures. Postharvest Biol Technol. 2003;27(3):285–92. 29. Bahri MH, Rashidi M. Effects of coating methods and storage periods on some qualitative characteristics of carrot during ambient storage. Int J Agric Biol. 2009;11(4):443–7. 30. Niari SM, Rashidi M, Nazari M. Prediction of carrot reducing sugars based on brix and water content of carrot during cold storage. Middle East J Sci Res. 2012;12(4):542–6. 31. Marta GT, Măniuţiu DN, Andreica I, Balcău S, Lazăr V. Sugar Content of Carrot Roots Influenced by the Sowing Period. J Hrticulture, For Biotechnol. 2013;17(1):66–9. 32. Zudairea L, Vinas I, Simo J, Sans S, Abadias M, Aguilo-Aguayo J. Effect of pre-harvest conditions and postharvest storage time on the quality of whole and fresh-cut calcots (Allium cepa L.). Sci Hortic (Amsterdam). 2019;249:110–9. 33. Koh h T, Melton LD. Ripening-related changes in cell wall polysaccharides of strawberry cortical and pith tissues. Postharvest Biol Technol. 2002;26(1):23–33. 34. Gil MI, Aguayo E, Kader AA. Quality changes and nutrient retention in fresh-cut versus whole fruits during storage. J Agric Food Chem. 2006;54(12):4284–96. 35. Gonçalves EM, Pinheiro J, Abreu M, Brandão TRS, Silva CLM. Carrot (Daucus carota L.) peroxidase inactivation, phenolic content and physical changes kinetics due to blanching. J Food Eng. 2010;97(4):574–81. 36. Augspole I, Rakcejeva T, Kruma Z, Dimins F. Shredded carrots quality providing by treatment with hydrogen peroxide. 9th Balt Conf Food Sci Technol “Food Consum Well-Being” FOODBALT 2014, Jelgava, Latv 8-9 May, 2014. 2014;150–4. 37. Kaka AK, Ibupoto KA, Chattha SH, Soomro SA, Mangio HR, Junejo SA, et al. Effect of hot water treatments and storage period on the quality attributes of banana (Musa sp.) fruit. Pure Appl Biol. 2019;8(1):363–71. 38. Fallik E. Prestorage hot water treatments (immersion, rinsing and brushing). Postharvest Biol Technol. 2004;32(2):125–34. 39. Rashidi M, Ranjbar I, Gholami M, Abbassi S. Prediction of carrot total soluble solids based on carrot water content. Am J Agric Environ Sci. 2010;7(3):366– 9. 40. Gupta DK, Keerthika A, Gupta CK, Shukla AK, Mohamed MBN, Jangid BL, et al. Climate Change and Its Impact on Fruit Crops. Hortic Based Integr Farming Syst. 2021;223–34.