Postharvest ultraviolet-C (UV-C) treatment reduces decay and maintains quality of bell peppers

The effects of pre-storage UV-C illumination on fungal decay and postharvest quality of California Wonder type bell peppers were investigated. Fruits were exposed to UV-C dosages at 1.3, 2.4 and 3.6 kJ.m-2 and stored at 8°C temperature with 90-95% relative humidity for 38 days. Untreated fruits were used as control. Changes in weight, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, decay and respiration rates of bell peppers were examined during storage. All UV-C dosages tested reduced the percentage of decay compared to control. Most promising UV-C dose was found to be as 3.6 kJ.m-2 in controlling storage decays in bell peppers. Besides, respiration rate of control fruits were higher than those of irradiated bell peppers within 24 h at 20°C. But, by the end of the 7 days at 20°C, CO2 production rates were relatively similar.