Effect of Harvesting Maturity on Quality and Storage Life of Litchi Fruits

Abstract

This research was carried out at the Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Hanoi University of Agriculture. Litchi fruits cv. Thieu grown in Luc Ngan were harvested at 3 different maturities, selected for uniformity, then placed in PE bags and stored at 5^oC. Fruits harvested when the whole pericarp turn to red colour quickly changed the quality, became rotten and had a short storage life. Harvesting the fruit when 1/3 to 2/3 area of pericarp fruit turn tored may reduce the skin browning, slow down the quality change and fruit rot rate was acceptable after 4 weeks storage