REPLACEMENT OF POSTHARVEST MOISTURE LOSS BY RECHARGING AND ITS EFFECTON SUBSEQUENT MOISTURE LOSS DURING SHORT-TERM STORAGE OF CARROTS

Replacing postharvest moisture loss in carrots (Daucus carota L., 'Car o-choice') by single and repeated recharging (rehydration in water) tr eatments, interaction between the duration of recharging and temperatu re during recharging, and the effects of these treatments on moisture loss during subsequent short-term storage were studied. Carrot mass ga in increased with increase in duration of single recharging treatments . Carrots that had lost 2.96% of their mass during storage at 13 degre es C and 35% relative humidity regained as much as 83% of the mass dur ing recharging for 12 hours. Longer rechargings had little additional effect. Recharging at 13 degrees C and 26 degrees C was more effective at replacing water than at 0 degrees C. The rate of moisture loss (pe rcent per day) during subsequent storage was not affected by rechargin g duration and temperature during recharging. With repeated recharging every 3.5 days, increase in recharging duration up to 9 hours increas ed carrot mass gain. Most of the mass gain occurred following 0 to 7 d ays of storage. These treatments, however, did not affect the rate of moisture loss during subsequent storage. These results suggest that th e beneficial effect of recharging on carrot quality is due to replacem ent of the lost moisture and not to a decrease in moisture loss during storage following recharging. Abrading increased mass loss in non-rec harged carrots and increased mass gain during recharging. Recharging s hould be explored as an option to improve the shelf life of carrots.