Influence of Various Edible Oil Coatings on the Shelf Life of Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.)

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of different edible oil treatments on the shelf life and quality of cape gooseberry fruits. The study was carried out at the Horticulture Research Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, from February to March 2024. The experiment employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 12 treatments and 3 replications, using various edible oils, including rice bran oil, olive oil, coconut oil, cinnamon oil, and mustard oil, under both ambient and cold storage conditions. Key findings include that, treatments T9 (olive oil + cold storage) and T10 (coconut oil + cold storage) were most effective in extending shelf life to 20 and 19 days, respectively, compared to the untreated control (14 days). Minimum postharvest loss (10.0%) was observed in T9 (Olive oil + Cold storage) followed by T10 (Coconut oil + Cold storage) which was stored in Cold storage. To minimize postharvest losses and to maintain maximum quality during storage, a lower temperature is needed than a higher temperature. The financial analysis revealed T10 (coconut oil + cold storage) as the most profitable treatment with the highest B:C ratio (1.19). The study concludes that the application of edible oils, particularly olive oil and rice bran oil, in combination with cold storage, can significantly enhance the shelf life and quality of cape gooseberry fruits, facilitating better marketability and export potential.