Abstract

This research work was conducted to study the effect of pre and post-harvest calcium chloride treatments on microbial and sensory characteristics of sweet cherries grown in District Skardu Gilgit Baltistan. The samples treated with calcium chloride packed in foam trays and stored at room temperature for 20 days. The applied treatments were C0 (untreated cherry fruit), C1 pre (Cherry fruit (0.5% Calcium chloride), C2 pre (Cherry fruit (1% Calcium chloride), C3 post (Cherry fruit (0.5% Calcium chloride) and C4 post (Cherry fruit (1% Calcium chloride). All the samples were analyzed for physiochemical characteristics at an interval of 4 days. The treatment C4 post was observed best on the basis of physiochemical and sensory attributes. The color and flavor score given by the panel judges was declined, lowest fall of noticed in C4 (7.50 and 8.53%) respectively. Similarly, texture and overall acceptability score also decreased, minimum decrease recorded in C4 (12.19 and 19.51 %) respectively. Microbial analysis showed that the plate count of the sample was improved, maximum fond in C0 (44.33) 98.27% while minimum noted in C4 (8.16) 81.50. The treatment C4 post-horvest was observed best on the basis of physicochemical and sensory attributes.