CILANTRO <i>(CORIANDRUM SATIVUM L.)</i> STORAGE N NUTRIENT MEDIUM
Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum L.) is one of the most widely used fresh herbs in the world. Freshly cut greenery is difficult to store without losing its quality. In case of maintaining temperature and humidity regimes shelf life time decreases due to high natural loss of green mass, its yellowing and the loss of flavor. The method of cilantro storage in the hydrogel-chlorophyllipt-based nutrient medium was suggested in order to prolong spinach shelf life and to stabilize biologically active substances. Fresh leaves of cilantro were collected in 50g bundles, tied with an elastic band, cooled to a temperature of about 5 °C and transported to the lab within 2 hours after harvesting. In the laboratory stems of greenery were put in polyethylene bags, which were pre-filled with nutrient medium 1% hydrogel (variant 1) or same 1% hydrogel with 0.25% chlorophyllipt acting as antioxidant (variant 2). The control variant was left without the nutrient environment. Bags with bundles of greenery were packed into boxes and stored under the ± 0, 5 ° C and relative humidity of air 95 ± 3%. Basing on the conducted research it was established that usage of hydrogel-based nutrient medium allows to prolong the shelf life of cilantro 3.0... 3.5 fold (depending on the variant) comparing with the control group. The usage of hydrogel-based nutrient medium reduces natural loss of weight 2.2... 2.5 fold. After the 3.5 fold-prolonged cilantro storage period in the hydrogel-chlorophyllipt-based nutrient medium greenery had the same hedonic assessment as the control. Application of the nutrient medium slowers the chlorophyll and carotenoids degradation during the cilantro shelf life. In greenery stored in the chlorophyllipt-containing nutrient medium the level of chlorophylls concentration is higher by 24.6% compared to control, and the concentration of carotenoids by 49.7%.