Optimum dose of gamma radiation to reduce post harvest losses in guava - Hafiza Mehreen Tahir

Fruits are important part of our diet and valuable for their consumption as a source of healthy nutrients. Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is a popular tropical fruit and included in super foods being rich source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre and protein.During the recent year radiation technology gained popularity at global level for treating foods to achieve better quality and long lasting shelf life. The present study involve the treatment of two local guava cultivars Gola and Surahi with gamma radiation at doses of 0.10 kGy, 0.25kGy and0.5 kGy and their effect was investigated on the microbial load. Furthermore, the effect of gamma radiation on fruit shelf life, decay percentage, organoleptic qualities, and nutrient parameters including moisture, mineral ash, fat, fibre, protein and carbohydrate content was determined.Hence this study is helpful in optimizing the dose of gamma radiation for our commonly grown guava cultivars to enhance their shelf life.