*3.3. Color (L\*, a\*, and b\*) Values*

The lightness (L\*) values of the longan pericarps were reduced in all treatments with storage time, as shown in Table 1. The decrease in L\* values in the control treatment was comparatively high compared to other packaging films, and storage was discontinued on day 9. Similarly, the a\* values, which indicate the redness of fruit samples, increased over time, and high a\* values were obtained in the control treatment. The b\* values, which indicate the yellowness of the longan pericarp, decreased with storage. Statistical analysis within treatments and storage intervals revealed the greatest decrease in b\* values in the control treatment (Table 1). With prolonged storage time, the changes in pericarp color became more prominent, as presented in Figure 6. The outer and inner pericarps of fruit samples changed to dark brown with storage, with more severe effects in control fruit (day 9) than other treatments.

**Figure 5.** Peel firmness rates of longan fruit samples in different packaging films fumigated with propyl disulfide and control, stored at 12 ± 1 ◦C. Vertical bars represent means ± standard deviations (*n* = 6). Different small and capital letters show significant differences between the treatments within the same day and between the days in the same treatment, respectively, via LSD test at *p* ≤ 0.05.




**Table 1.** *Cont.*

Different small letters in each row and capital letters in each column show the significant differences between the treatments within the same day and between the days in the same treatment, respectively, via LSD test at *p* ≤ 0.05. SDs are presented in parenthesis.

**Figure 6.** Changes in the peel and flesh of longan fruit samples during storage at 12 ± 1 ◦C treated with propyl disulfide and packaged in oriented polypropylene (OPP-20, OPP-40, and OPP-60), polyethylene (PE-20, PE-40, and PE-60), and control (open net) packages.
