Development of designed evaporative cooled onion storage structure to mitigate postharvest losses and enhance storage efficiency

Authors

  • Sudama R. Kakade 1. Department of Agricultural Processing Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology,Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri, Ahilyanagar, 413722, Maharashtra, India;
  • Vikram P. Kad 1. Department of Agricultural Processing Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology,Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri, Ahilyanagar, 413722, Maharashtra, India;
  • Ganesh N. Shelke 1. Department of Agricultural Processing Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology,Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri, Ahilyanagar, 413722, Maharashtra, India;
  • Rajvardhan K. Patil 2. ICAR- National Institute of Secondary Agriculture, Namkum, Ranchi 834010, Jharkhand, India;
  • Govind B. Yenge 3. Regional Sugarcane and Jaggery Research Station, Kolhapur, 416 005, Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri,Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, India;
  • Shivani S Desai 4. National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, Sonipat 131028, Haryana, India;
  • Nashi K. Alqahtani 5. Department of Food and Nutrition Sciences, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University,P.O. Box 400, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia;
  • Suzan Harara 6. Graphic Design Department, College of Design and Applied Arts, Taif University, P.O. 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia;
  • Areej S. Alamer 7. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Riyadh Third Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Riyadh 13424, Saudi Arabia;
  • Awatif Almehmadi 8. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm AL-Qura University, Makkah,P.O. BOX. 715. 21955, Saudi Arabia;
  • Norah E. Aljohani 9. Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, 42353-4028, Saudi Arabia;
  • Ameerah Almaski 9. Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, 42353-4028, Saudi Arabia;
  • Rokayya Sami 10. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Sciences, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia;
  • Mahmoud Helal 11. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Onions, often referred to as the “Queen of the kitchen”, play a vital role in enhancing dishes with their distinctive flavor, phenols, and flavonoids. Despite their significance, the onion market faces considerable volatility due to seasonal variations and substantial postharvest losses, resulting in significant price fluctuations. These losses can reach up to 40%, primarily due to improper handling, sprouting, rotting, inadequate storage, and limited infrastructure, with microbial spoilage alone accounting for 15%-20% of the total losses. Conventional onion storage methods demand substantial investments but often fail to effectively manage temperature and relative humidity (RH) fluctuations, which are critical for maintaining bulb shelf life. This study focuses on developing an on-farm evaporative cooled onion storage structure (ECOSS) to provide a long-term storage solution for onions. Results demonstrated that the ECOSS maintained internal temperatures between 24.5°C-31.3°C (average 27.1°C) and suitable RH levels throughout the storage period, with minimum values between 63.7%-67.2% and maximum values between 74.1%-75.5%. Physiological loss in weight (PLW), sprouting, and rotting were lowest at the 0.91 m storage height compared to 1.82 m after 5 months of storage. Onion firmness decreased over time, with the lowest firmness observed at 1.82 m (14.68 N). The net profit per ton of onions stored from May to September was INR6021 for the ECOSS, compared to INR2553 for traditional onion storage structure (TOSS). The ECOSS offers a cost-effective and efficient solution for reducing postharvest losses and enhancing onion storage.      

Keywords: evaporative cooling, firmness; postharvest losses, rotting, sprouting

DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20261903.10215

Citation: Kakade S R, Kad V P, Shelke G N, Patil R K, Yenge G B, Desai S S, et al. Development of designed evaporative cooled onion storage structure to mitigate postharvest losses and enhance storage efficiency. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2026; 19(3): 149–158.

 

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Published

2026-07-14

How to Cite

(1)
Kakade, S. R.; Kad, V. P.; Shelke, G. N.; Patil, R. K.; Yenge, G. B.; Desai, S. S.; Alqahtani, N. K.; Harara, S.; Alamer, A. S.; Almehmadi, A. Development of Designed Evaporative Cooled Onion Storage Structure to Mitigate Postharvest Losses and Enhance Storage Efficiency. Int J Agric & Biol Eng 2026, 19, 149–158.

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 3 (2026): IJABE

Section

Animal, Plant and Facility Systems

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