Replacement of postharvest moisture loss by recharging and its effect on subsequent moisture loss during short-term storage of carrots (Daucus carota L.)

Abstract

The replacement of postharvest moisture loss in carrots (cv. Caro-choice) by single and repeated recharging (i.e., rehydration in water) treatments, interaction between the duration of recharging and temperature during recharging, and the effects of these treatments on moisture loss during subsequent short-term storage were studied. Carrot weight gain increased with increase in the duration of single recharging treatments. Carrots that had lost 2.96% of their weight, during storage at 13°C and 35% relative humidity, regained as much as 2.45% of the weight during recharging for 12 h. Longer rechargings had little additional effect. Recharging at 13°C and 26°C was more effective at replacing water than at 0°C. The rate of moisture loss (%/day) during subsequent storage was not affected by recharging duration and the temperature. With repeated recharging (every 3.5 d), increase in recharging duration up to 9 h …