Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packing and storage durations

The affordability of packaging materials and proper storage facilities to preserve the quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) has become a problematic issue for small-scale farmers in Malaysia, who have limited resources and rely on their crops for income. This study compares the post-harvest quali...

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Main Authors: Siti Mariam Shamsi, Darius El Pebrian, Samihah Mustaffha, Hamdam Sulaiman, M.K. Zahari, Nurul Aisyah Adilah Ghazali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Firenze University Press 2025-08-01
Series:Advances in Horticultural Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ahs/article/view/16106
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author Siti Mariam Shamsi
Darius El Pebrian
Samihah Mustaffha
Hamdam Sulaiman
M.K. Zahari
Nurul Aisyah Adilah Ghazali
author_facet Siti Mariam Shamsi
Darius El Pebrian
Samihah Mustaffha
Hamdam Sulaiman
M.K. Zahari
Nurul Aisyah Adilah Ghazali
author_sort Siti Mariam Shamsi
collection DOAJ
description The affordability of packaging materials and proper storage facilities to preserve the quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) has become a problematic issue for small-scale farmers in Malaysia, who have limited resources and rely on their crops for income. This study compares the post-harvest quality preservation of lettuce using plastic bags and newspapers as cost-effective packaging materials under storage durations of 0, 3, 6, 12, and 15 days. The lettuce quality parameters measured were chlorophyll, sucrose, weight loss, and overall visual quality (OVQ). The results showed newspapers had the highest mean weight loss (7.91 g), while plastic had the lowest one (5.81 g). However, chlorophyll content did not significantly differ between the two packaging types. Lettuce packaged in plastic bags had a significantly lower total soluble solids (TSS) content mean value (2.89%) compared to newspaper (3.89%). In addition, the plastic bag materials gave a better OVQ than that of the newspaper. Generally, the use of plastic bags as a packaging option for small-scale lettuce farmers in Malaysia is affordable and readily available.
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institution Kabale University
issn 0394-6169
1592-1573
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Firenze University Press
record_format Article
series Advances in Horticultural Science
spelling doaj-art-4aab69a9ec6e47f099ec1a0938e88c222025-08-20T03:59:32ZengFirenze University PressAdvances in Horticultural Science0394-61691592-15732025-08-0139210.36253/ahsc-16106Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packing and storage durationsSiti Mariam Shamsi0Darius El Pebrian1Samihah Mustaffha2Hamdam Sulaiman3M.K. Zahari4Nurul Aisyah Adilah Ghazali5Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia. The affordability of packaging materials and proper storage facilities to preserve the quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) has become a problematic issue for small-scale farmers in Malaysia, who have limited resources and rely on their crops for income. This study compares the post-harvest quality preservation of lettuce using plastic bags and newspapers as cost-effective packaging materials under storage durations of 0, 3, 6, 12, and 15 days. The lettuce quality parameters measured were chlorophyll, sucrose, weight loss, and overall visual quality (OVQ). The results showed newspapers had the highest mean weight loss (7.91 g), while plastic had the lowest one (5.81 g). However, chlorophyll content did not significantly differ between the two packaging types. Lettuce packaged in plastic bags had a significantly lower total soluble solids (TSS) content mean value (2.89%) compared to newspaper (3.89%). In addition, the plastic bag materials gave a better OVQ than that of the newspaper. Generally, the use of plastic bags as a packaging option for small-scale lettuce farmers in Malaysia is affordable and readily available. https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ahs/article/view/16106Lettucepackagingpostharvestshelf life
spellingShingle Siti Mariam Shamsi
Darius El Pebrian
Samihah Mustaffha
Hamdam Sulaiman
M.K. Zahari
Nurul Aisyah Adilah Ghazali
Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packing and storage durations
Advances in Horticultural Science
Lettuce
packaging
postharvest
shelf life
title Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packing and storage durations
title_full Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packing and storage durations
title_fullStr Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packing and storage durations
title_full_unstemmed Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packing and storage durations
title_short Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packing and storage durations
title_sort lettuce postharvest quality affordable packing and storage durations
topic Lettuce
packaging
postharvest
shelf life
url https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ahs/article/view/16106
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AT samihahmustaffha lettucepostharvestqualityaffordablepackingandstoragedurations
AT hamdamsulaiman lettucepostharvestqualityaffordablepackingandstoragedurations
AT mkzahari lettucepostharvestqualityaffordablepackingandstoragedurations
AT nurulaisyahadilahghazali lettucepostharvestqualityaffordablepackingandstoragedurations