Effect of Ozone Solution Immersion Treatment on The Quality of Fresh Red Chilies During Modified Cold-Storage

Abstract

Chili is a vegetable with a characteristic of high moisture content, so easily damaged, and short shelf life. Most Indonesian households prefer to consume red chilies in fresh form. So, specific treatment is required to ensure the quality and shelf life of fresh red chilies. The objective of this study was to analyze the quality of red chilies stored in modified cold storage with and without dissolved ozone solution treatment. Red chilies were stored in perforated polyethylene (PE) plastic at 8±2℃ and 89±2% relative humidity. Fresh red chilies were investigated for hardness, color, moisture content, vitamin C, and capsaicin after 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks of storage. The modified cold storage preserved fresh red chilies for three weeks without ozone treatment and four weeks with ozone treatment. The moisture and vitamin C content remained stable, but the color, hardness, and capsaicin content significantly decreased.  Keywords: Chilies freshness, red chili, ozone treatment, modified cold storage, shelf life