EFFECT OF CO-60 GAMMA RADIATION ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF STORED PEACH (PRUNUS PERSICA)

Waseem Hassan

University of Peshawar, Peshawar -25120, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

The effect of gamma irradiation (2.5 and 5.0 kGy) on the proximate composition (moisture, crude fat, fiber, carbohydrate, protein, ash content and ascorbic acid) was determined in the current study. A 60Co gamma ray source was used for irradiation purposes. Both treated and untreated peach samples were separately packed in six boxes (3 paper and wooden boxes). The peach selected for analysis were stored at ambient temperature (25 ±20°C) and were analyzed after each week for mentioned parameters. During second week gamma irradiation have shown significant (0.23%) increase in ash content in wooden box. The peach samples kept in wooden boxes showed significant reduction in moisture content as compared with paper box samples. Similarly, the moisture content in peach samples irradiated with 5.0 kGy decreased to 81.33% in the wooden box during the second week. In all packed and irradiated samples of peach the crude fat, protein and fiber contents were decreased. The ascorbic acid contents of peach were highly (2.7%) reduced in wooden box irradiated with 5.0 kGy in second week. In conclusion the gamma radiation doses i.e. 2.5 and 5.0 kGy might be used as consumers’ acceptable doses for minimum weight loss, shelf life extension and deterioration without disturbing the chemical quality of peach.

Keywords: Peach, Gamma Irradiation and Proximate Composition.