EFFECTS OF VARIETY AND HOLDING TIME ON SOME POST HARVEST QUALITY OF SWEETCORN (Zea mays L. saccharata)
Keywords:
Sweet corn, storage, nutritional values, physical attributes, varietyAbstract
Sweet corn, an essential vegetable crop in the agriculture industry worldwide due to its high economic and nutritional value, has a short shelf life and deteriorates rapidly after harvesting, leading to loss of quality and nutritional values. An experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) to determine the impact of time of holding after harvest on the physico-chemical attributes of two varieties of sweet corn at milk stage. Ayo F1 Hybrid and Hybrix 55, with holding time: at harvest (0), 24, 48 and 72 hours after harvest were studied. Treatments were laid out in a Completely Randomized Design replicated three times. Data were taken on proximate composition which included- dry matter, ash, crude fibre, crude protein, carbohydrate and fat. They were determined according to methods described by the Association of Official Analytic Chemists. Total soluble solids (TSS), total sugar, starch contents and colour were also determined. Hybrix 55 variety had higher dry matter, fat, ash crude fibre, crude protein, TSS, total sugar and starch contents relative to Ayo F1 Hybrid variety which had higher moisture content. The b* value (yellowness) in Hybrix 55 was also higher when compared with Ayo F1 variety of sweet corn. The L* colour value (lightness) increased maximum at 72 hours after harvest. Starch, crude protein, crude fibre, fat and ash contents increased significantly at 72 hours after harvest. The TSS and total sugar reduced with holding time. Higher values were obtained at harvest and least at 72 hours after harvest. Hybrix 55 variety held for 72 hours after harvest had the highest fat, ash and crude fiber contents. Hybrix 55 variety of sweet corn variety was sweeter with brighter colour and maintained its nutritional content at harvest.
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