EFFECT OF PACKAGING MATERIALS AND STORAGE CONDITIONS ON SHELF LIFE AND QUALITY OF OKRA*

The present study was undertaken with consisting of three storage conditions (room temperature, zero energy cool chamber and refrigerated storage) as main factor and six types of packaging material such as 150, 200, 300, 400 gauge polyethylene bags with 2% vents, punnets and control i.e. without packaging with three replications in factorial randomized block design during summer season of 2015. The physiological loss in weight exhibited increasing trend while the fruit firmness, total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content and sensorial qualities of okra fruits exhibited decreasing trend through the storage period irrespective packaging materials and storage conditions. The shelf life of okra was found to be three days at room temperature, nine days at zero energy cool chamber and fifteen days at refrigerated storage when packed in 400 gauge polyethylene bags with 2% vents with more retention of organoleptic qualities and minimum total microbial counts.