STUDIES ON FORCED AIR VENTILATED STORAGE OF ONION

Storage life Talaja Red onion can be increased in forced ventilated storage to catch higher prices. The storage disease in natural ventilation was higher due to sorption and desorption of moisture. The weight loss can be reduced from 23.74 in natural ventilated storage to 10.24 per cent in forced ventilated storage. Pungency and dry matter content are the important quality attributes in onions for processing which was higher in forced ventilated storage. The total sugar content was higher and the reducing sugar content was less in forced ventilated storage than natural ventilated storage. This suggested that the dry matter degradation was lower in forced ventilated storage. The storage disease at top was higher due to direct effect of atmosphere to the onion. Modifying the structure with less effect of atmosphere can solve this problem. Storage disease at bottom and middle was reduced in forced ventilated storage. The profit of onion storage can be increased in forced ventilated storage.