Effect of Fungal Infections on Nutritional Value of Papaya, Guava and Lemon Fruits

Abstract

When it comes to fruit nutrition, the quality and quantity of nutritious components are the most important factors to consider. In the current experiment, fungi from papaya, guava, and lemon fruits were examined to see whether they induce significant biochemical changes that affect the quality of the fruit. Inflectional changes revealed that the quality of various sugars had been reduced in the impacted fruits when they were analyzed postharvest. This could have been caused by the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars in the afflicted fruits. A comparison of infected and healthy fruits was made based on the nitrogen content, non-reducing sugars content, protein content, total free amino acids content, ascorbic acid content, total sugars content, total phenols content, and total ash content. Because fungal pathogens that cause post-harvest fungal infection of fruits and vegetables produce mycotoxins, which are toxic to both humans and animals, post-harvest diseases in fruits and vegetables are a serious problem that results in the loss of a large percentage of crops, sometimes as much as 50% in some fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the post-purchase storage of commonly consumed fruits and to determine the fungal strains that are responsible for their spoilage.