Effect of potassium permanganate on postharvest quality attributes of bitter gourd fruit

Bitter gourd is a widely consumed cucurbitaceous vegetable rich in several nutrients and phytochemicals. The fruit also used traditional medicine systems to cure variety of ailments. However, bitter has very short postharvest life 3-4 days at ambient conditions, due which it suffers significant loss after harvest. In the present study, with aim extend storage life, fruits were packed corrugated fiberboard boxes along sachets potassium permanganate (KMnO4) granules @ 1.0, 2.0 3.0 g per kilogram fruit; while control without KMnO4 sachets. results revealed that during 8 room temperature, g/kg had minimum deterioration quality compared control, weight decay was observed lowest. treated retained highest chlorophyll content lowest accumulation carotenoid pigments skin. These maximum soluble solids, ascorbic acid, total phenolics content, antioxidant capacity malondialdehyde up than other treatments.