Effect of Calcium Chloride, Cultivar and Maturity on Shelf Life of Fresh Jujube Fruits

Jujube is one of the most important horticultural fruits with high nutritional and medicinal value. Due to the short shelf life of fresh jujube, consumption of fresh fruit is low. This study aimed to evaluate the treatments affecting the quality of three fresh jujube cultivars. Treatments included jujube cultivars (commercial, Mazhan, and Siojan), fruit harvest time (semi-mature and fully mature), foliar spraying of trees (0 and 2%), and storage time (20 and 35 days). Assessed traits were brix, acidity, firmness, Ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds, and color indexes (L ⃰ a ⃰ b ⃰). Calcium chloride solution was used to improve the quality and shelf life of fruits. Jujube fruits were stored in a refrigerator at 5°C. Data analysis was performed using a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design and three replications. Results showed the Siojan cultivar had the best quality characteristics: its phenol content was 2.438 mg gallic acid/gr solid weight, the ascorbic acid value was 929.91 mg 100 g-1, the firmness was 7,390 N m-1, and its Lightness (L ⃰) was 27.71. Foliar spraying treatment was approved for the firmness and color of fruits. After 20 days, firmness (10,460 N m-1) and ascorbic acid (924.843 mg 100 g-1) were maintained, and after 35 days, total phenol (2.447 mg gallic acid g-1 solid weight) was increased. The sensory analyses results showed Siojan cultivar with other advantages, including large size, good taste, and high flesh to kernel ratio. Overall, Siojan cultivar had a good shelf life of up to 20 days at 5°C.