Effect on Physico-chemical Characteristics of Cucumber and Kinnow Stored in Evaporative Cool Chambers Using Rice Husk Ash as Alternative Material

The physico-chemical characteristics of cucumber and kinnow stored in evaporative cool chambers were analyzed. The two evaporative cool chambers were developed based on the principle of evaporative cooling using alternative materials as river bed sand and rice husk ash. The average temperature drop of 8.6 °C and 10.7 °C was obtained in evaporative cool chamber with river bed sand (ECC RBS) and evaporative cool chamber with rice husk ash (ECC RHA) and average relative humidity increase of 53 per cent and 57 per cent to the ambient, respectively. These structures extended the shelf-life of commodity by 2 to 3 times. The cucumbers were stored in evaporative cool chambers in summer while kinnow were stored in winter season. The temperature and relative humidity were recorded inside the cool chambers and ambient condition on regular interval. Observations were recorded on different physico-chemical parameters to judge the shelf-life of cucumber and kinnow under all storage conditions. The rate of change of physico-chemical constituents in cucumber and kinnow stored in cool chamber with rice husk ash as cavity fill material was found slower than other storage conditions.