Storage stability assessment of guava fruit (Psidium guajava L.) cv. ‘Gola’ in response to different packaging materials

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is a nutritious fruit of sub-tropical regions that displays climacteric characteristics and short postharvest life. The quality of guava fruit deteriorates within two to three days at ambient temperatures; therefore, specific practices are needed to preserve the quality and increase the shelf life of guavas. In the present work, we aimed to assess how various packing materials affected the shelf life and quality of guava fruit (cv. Gola) stored at room temperature. Guava fruits were stored for a period of 20 days in different packing materials such as biodegradable packaging (BDP), corrugated fiber box (CFB), polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polystyrene (PS). During the storage period, transitions in multiple quality metrics were observed at predetermined intervals of four (4) days. According to the findings, each packing material significantly affected the fruit's quality in comparison to control samples. During the storage period, there was a natural decline in firmness (93.4%), ascorbic acid (55.6%), and TPC (48.6%); however, the packaged fruit samples showed a considerably slower rate of reduction (p < 0.05) than the unpackaged control samples. Moreover, respiratory gases were effectively suppressed under packaging viz. HDPE (ethylene; 8.76 μL kg⁻¹ h⁻¹, CO₂; 19.76 mL kg⁻¹ h⁻¹) and BDP (ethylene; 10.16 μL kg⁻¹ h⁻¹, CO₂; 21.37 μL kg⁻¹ h⁻¹), respectively. In terms of enzyme dynamics, un-packed fruit samples had relatively low CAT activity (69.45 U mg⁻¹ protein), while guava fruits that were packed in BDP exhibited much increased CAT activity (82.28 U mg⁻¹ protein). Likewise, PPO activity was significantly inhibited in packaged fruit samples. Among the different packaging employed, biodegradable packaging, PP, and HDPE exhibited better overall retention of quality attributes during 20 days of storage under ambient conditions. The study's outcome should open up new opportunities for the fruit and vegetable sectors while also offering a cost-effective approach to preserving fresh guavas and increasing their economic potential.