Effects of Postharvest Treatments on the Quality of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) during Cold Storage

Abstract

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an economically important horticultural crop that undergoes rapid postharvest deterioration due to high respiration rates and moisture loss, resulting in reduced market quality and shortened shelf life. This study evaluated the effectiveness of three simple and low-cost postharvest treatments in maintaining cucumber quality during cold storage. Uniformly mature fruits were treated with 3 mg/L potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), 2% sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) for 2 minutes, or hot water at 52°C for 1 minute before storage at 10°C. Fruit quality was assessed after 7, 14, and 21 days of storage based on weight loss, firmness, reducing sugar content, and vitamin C content. All three treatments significantly improved postharvest quality compared with the untreated control. Among them, hot water treatment at 52°C for 1 minute was the most effective, resulting in the lowest weight loss while better preserving fruit firmness, reducing sugars, and vitamin C throughout storage. These findings indicate that hot water treatment is a simple, safe, and cost-effective postharvest technique for extending cucumber shelf life and maintaining fruit quality under cold storage conditions. The study provides practical recommendations for growers and postharvest handling systems seeking affordable alternatives to more complex preservation technologies.