Vol. 39 No. 2 (2025)
Articles

Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packaging and storage durations

PDF
  • S.M. Shamsi,
  • D. El Pebrian,
  • S. Mustaffha,
  • H. Sulaiman,
  • M.K. Zahari,
  • N.A.A. Ghazali
S.M. Shamsi
Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.
D. El Pebrian
Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.
S. Mustaffha
Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.
H. Sulaiman
Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.
M.K. Zahari
Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.
N.A.A. Ghazali
Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka Branch, Jasin Campus, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ahsc-16106
Categories

Published 2025-08-08

Keywords

  • Lettuce,
  • packaging,
  • postharvest,
  • shelf life

How to Cite

Shamsi, S. M., El Pebrian, D., Mustaffha, S., Sulaiman, H., Zahari, M., & Ghazali, N. A. A. (2025). Lettuce postharvest quality: Affordable packaging and storage durations. Advances in Horticultural Science, 39(2), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.36253/ahsc-16106

Copyright (c) 2025 Darius El Pebrian

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Funding data

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Abstract

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.

PDF

References

  1. DEGL’INNOCENTI E., GUIDI L., PARDOSSI A., TOGNONI F., 2005 - Biochemical study of leaf browning in minimally processed leaves of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. acephala). - J. Agric. Food Chem., 53(26): 9980-9984. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jf050927o
  2. ESCALONA V.H., VERLINDEN B.E., GEYSEN S., NICOLAÏ B.M., 2006 - Changes in respiration of fresh-cut butterhead lettuce under controlled atmospheres using low and superatmospheric oxygen conditions with different carbon dioxide levels. - Postharvest Bio. Tech., 39(1): 48-55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2005.09.003
  3. FAOSTAT, 2025 - Crops and livestock products (Malaysia). Crops and livestock products. - https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL Accessed on 16 May 2025.
  4. FDA, 2010 - Program information manual retail food protection: Recommendations for the temperature control of cut leafy greens during storage and display in retail food establishments. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), USA, pp. 1-5.
  5. FERRANTE A., MAGGIORE T., 2007 - Chlorophyll a fluorescence measurement to evaluate storage time and temperature of Valeriana leafy vegetables. - Postharvest Bio. Tech., 45(1): 73-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2007.02.003
  6. GROSS K.C., WANG C.Y., SALTVEIT M., 2016 - The commercial storage of fruits, vegetables, and florist and nursery stocks. - USDA Handbook, United States Dept. Agric., pp. 386-387.
  7. LEE J.S., CHANDRA D., 2018 - Effects of different packaging materials and methods on the physical, biochemical and sensory qualities of lettuce. - J. Food Sci. Technol., 55(5): 1685-1694. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-018-3081-6
  8. MATTOS L.M., MORETTI C.L., SILVA E.Y.Y., 2013 - Effects of modified atmosphere packaging on quality attributes and physiological responses of fresh-cut crisp head lettuce. - CYTA J. Food., 11(2013): 392-397. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2013.777124
  9. NITU O.A., IVAN E.Ş., TRONAC A.S., ARSHAD A., 2025 - Variety-specific lettuce responses to oxygen-enriched water and led light in a controlled greenhouse: A multivariate analysis across two cycles. - Int. J. Plant Biol., 16(1): 29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb16010029
  10. NKOLISA N., MAGWAZA L.S., WORKNEH T.S., CHIMPANGO A., 2018 - Evaluating evaporative cooling system as an energy-free and cost-effective method for postharvest storage of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) for smallholder farmers. - Sci. Hort., 241(2018): 131-143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.06.079
  11. RAVULA P., KASALA K., RAY S., 2020 - Impact of COVID-19 on food security: Insights from Telangana, India. - Agric. Econ. Res. Rev., 33(167): 167-168.
  12. SAND C.K., 2021 - Controlling moisture in foods using packaging. - IFI. Institute of Food Technologists, Food Technology Magazine, September 1.
  13. SEMCO, 2014 - Post-harvest cooling and storing of lettuce. - SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC, Texas, USA, pp. 1-2.
  14. SHATILOV M.V., RAZIN A.F., IVANOVA M.I., 2019 - Analysis of the world lettuce market. - IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environ. Sci., 395(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/395/1/012053
  15. SUALEH A., DABA A., KIFLU S., MOHAMMED A., 2016 - Effect of storage conditions and packing materials on shelf life of tomato. - Food Sci. Qual. Manag., 56(2016): 60-67.
  16. WAGHMARE R.B., ANNAPURE U.S., 2015 - Integrated effect of sodium hypochlorite and modified atmosphere packaging on quality and shelf life of fresh-cut cilantro. - Food Packaging Shelf Life, 3(2015): 62-69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2014.11.001
  17. WHEELER L., KITINOJA L., BARRETT D., 2015 - Use of insulated covers over product crates to reduce losses in amaranth during shipping delays. - Agric., 5(4): 1204-1223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture5041204
  18. YANG J., SONG J., LIU J., DONG X., ZHANG H., JEONG B.R., 2024 - Prolonged post-harvest preservation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by reducing water loss rate and chlorophyll degradation regulated through lighting direction-induced morphophysiological improvements. - Plants(Basel), 3(18): 2564. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13182564