RESUMEN
This study aimed to enhance the durability of selected green leafy vegetables, including Lettuce and Palak, by manipulating influential factors such as storage conditions (Ambient (35±5°C) and Refrigerated (5±5°C)), packing substrate (Low-density polyethylene and High-density polyethylene covers), and gas composition using modified atmosphere packaging. Factorial completely randomized design (FCRD) was employed, incorporating a total of 12 treatments for each crop. The evaluation primarily relied on calculating physiological weight loss. Lettuce showed optimal results with treatment T5 (0.38%) exhibiting superior performance, followed by T6 (0.45%) and T3 (0.58%) under ambient conditions. Similarly, for palak, T5 (0.18%) outperformed T3 (0.19%) and T2 (0.37%). Thus, it is advisable to adopt T5 (R1G3M1) as the preferred treatment with T3 (R1G2M1) as a viable alternative for ambient storage conditions. Refrigerated lettuce performed optimally with T11 (0.54%) leading, followed by T7 (0.56%) and T9 (0.69%). Similarly, palak exhibited superior results with T9 (0.61%) in the fore, succeeded by T11 (0.77%) and T7 (0.97%). Notably, produce stored under ambient conditions had a relatively short shelf life of approximately 5 days, while refrigeration extended it to 15 days, after which a decline in quality was observed across all treatments. Therefore, refrigerated produce has an extended shelf life, with T9 (R2G2M1) followed by T7 (R2G1M1) yielding highly favorable outcomes.