1.Introduction
Because the lemon is a non-climacteric fruit with low respiration and ethylene production rates, it does not experience any significant softening or compositional changes after harvest and can thus be stored for relatively long periods of time. (Kader, 2002). Bangladesh ranks very low in terms of citrus fruit production when compared to other citrus producing countries around the globe. Lemon includes a high concentration of citric acid, ranging from 4.52% to 5.82%. As a fresh fruit and processed product, it is one of the most significant fruits in foreign trade. Approximately 10% of the world's citrus production is exported as fresh products. Citrus fruit export opportunities have increased considerably because of the globalisation of the World Trade Organization (WTO). As a result, citrus growers confronted an increase.
Lemon cold storage is a controlled atmosphere in which parameters such as temperature and pressure are kept at specific amounts to help keep lemons ripe and store them for long-term efficiency. Lemon cold storage is a popular practice among farmers who produce a large number of lemons. Lemon trees bear fruit once to three times a year, based on the variety. The Eureka variety makes lemons twice or three times a year, whereas the Lisbon variety produces lemons only once a year. Lemons mature between 100 and 360 days after flowering. Lemon storage is an essential job for farmers growing lemons in order to maintain the availability of lemons throughout the year.
2.Storage and Shelf life
Every year, a significant amount of lemon fruit spoils due to a lack of appropriate storage and marketing infrastructure. As a result, appropriate measures should be taken to extend the shelf life of lemon. Storage is necessary for extending the consumption time of fruits, controlling their supply to the market, and transporting them over great distances. Depending on the species, mature green fruits can be stored at room temperature for 12 to 15 days. (Carrillo et al., 2000). Fruit shelf life can be prolonged by precooling, chemical treatments, low temperature, various botanical extracts, and so on. However, perforated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) linings have been found to be beneficial because they retain humidity because of which there is less shrinkage during storage. Fruit postharvest life can be extended by combining modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) with efficient decay control measures.
Lemon includes a high concentration of citric acid, ranging from 4.52% to 5.82%. As a fresh fruit and processed product, it is one of the most significant fruits in foreign trade.
Approximately 10% of the world's citrus production is exported as fresh products. Citrus fruit export opportunities have increased considerably as a result of the globalization of the World Trade Organization (WTO). As a result, citrus growers encountered increased competition in the global market.
Fruit storage life is influenced by storage temperature because higher temperatures increase respiration rate, resulting in fruit softening, and lower temperatures slow storage metabolism, resulting in colour changes and softening. (Perez et al., 2004). Producers and traders experience approximately 27% losses due to mishandling, inadequate storage, or a lack of postharvest technical expertise. (Hassan, 2010).
3. Factors affecting the storage of lemons
Lemon storage is influenced by two major variables. The first significant influence is temperature. As previously stated, an optimum temperature is needed for lemon storage, and any deviation from the optimum temperature results in lemon destruction. The second consideration is luminosity. The shorter the storing life of a lemon, the more ripe it is when picked. After-picking storing of lemons is also influenced by relative humidity and handling.
4. Conditions at which lemons must be stored in a lemon cold storage:
A variety of variables influence the freshness, quality, and shelf life of lemons. The colour of the lemon at harvest is a fundamental element. Lemons that are picked while still green have an extended shelf life but less juice. Lemons harvested after they have started to turn yellow, on the other hand, have a higher juice content but a shorter shelf life. Regardless of maturity at harvest, there are a number of essential cooling and storage factors that affect lemons.
Temperature - Lemons that are more ripe when harvested Lemons freeze when the temperature falls below zero degrees Celsius, causing them to lose their qualities. If the temperature is too elevated, the lemons may degrade and lose quality. As a result, it is critical to keep the temperature in lemon cold storage within a certain range.. Because the relative humidity in the cold storage room is very low, moisture loss in the lemons may occur, resulting in shrinking and drying out of the lemons. Lemons should be stored at temperatures ranging from 50°F to 54°F. Lemons will freeze and experience freezes damage at 29°F. Meanwhile, excessively high temperatures may accelerate degradation and loss of quality.
Relative Humidity - Lemons thrive in relative humidity levels ranging from 90% to 95%. Lemons may experience moisture loss if the relative humidity is too low, resulting in shrivelling and drying out. If the relative humidity is too high, oranges may be more susceptible to mould.
Handling- Lemons should be handled with care and should not be over-packed to prevent damage. It is also critical to begin cooling lemons within a few hours of harvesting to delay respiration and degradation.
Shelf life- Lemons have a reasonably long shelf life when handled properly. Depending on the
ripeness of the lemon at harvest, it can be stored for up to 6 months.
It must be ensured that the lemons are not harmed. This is accomplished by managing the lemons with care and not over-packing them. Skin wounds or scratches on the lemons can also cause degradation. Any decayed lemon must be removed from storage promptly to prevent the decay from spreading to other relatively fresh lemons. Respiratory gases like ethylene and carbon dioxide accelerate ripening, so their amounts must be kept low. The removal of ethylene will also reduce fungal deterioration. Cooling lemons should be done within hours of harvesting them from the trees, as this greatly reduces degradation. Oxygen levels are also essential in lemon storage.
5. Conclusion
Lemon cold storages maintain specified temperatures to keep lemons fresh until they are sold. You can regulate the temperature in citrus cold storage. Because the optimum temperature at which lemons stay fresh changes depending on the temperature in the atmosphere outside, the temperature inside the lemon cold storage must be changed on a regular basis to keep up with the changes in the atmosphere.
6. References
· https://www.yogeshdahiya.com/lemon-cold-storage/
·https://www.google.com/searchq=cold+storage+for+lemon+pdf&rlz=1C1CHBF_enIN991IN991&oq=&aqs=chrome.0.69i59i450l8.3308941j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
PMG stands for Projects Management Group. We provide world-class Engineering Services to build great food processing factories. 
Engineering is the difference between Chaos and Excellence. If you are going to do it, do it right. 
Explore the diverse range of Products in the Food Processing Industry. 
Explore the technologies at the heart of the the Food Processing Industry. 
Filter
