Plant Archives Journal home page: www.plantarchives.org The current study intended to discover the storage/shelf life of papaya and pineapple, minimally processed fruits, based on their physicochemical, sensorial, and microbiological analysis. They were stored at low temperature at 4⁰C for 8 days. Methods: The papaya slices were dipped into 1000ppm citric acid solution and a solution of 150ppm ascorbic acid and 1000ppm citric acid. On other hand, pineapple slices were dipped into a solution of 1% sodium chloride and 1% calcium chloride and another solution of 150ppm ascorbic acid and 1000ppm citric acid. Both fruit samples were immersed into the respective solutions for around 2-3minutes. Results: From the results of treatments, it was revealed that the combination of 150ppm ascorbic acid and 1000ppm citric acid solution, in both the samples showed the best outcomes. Conclusion: It ultimately concludes that after this treatment the minimally processed papaya and pineapple can be stored efectively and safely in good conditions for 8 days at low temperature. Keywords: Minimal Processing, Papaya, Pineapple, Refrigerated condition, Shelf life PHYSICOCHEMICAL, SENSORIAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF MINIMALLY PROCESSED FRUITS OF PAPAYA AND PINEAPPLE Rizwana 1 , Ruchi Sharma 2 , Eram Rao 1 , Tanya Luva Swer 3 and Aparna Agarwal* 4 1 Department of Food Technology, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences,(University of Delhi), Dwarka, New Delhi-110075, India 2 Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi – 110016, India 3 Department of Food Science and Technology, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana – 131028, India 4 Department of Food and Nutrition and Food Technology, Lady Irwin College,(University of Delhi), Sikandra Road, New Delhi110001, India (Date of Receiving-26-01-2021; Date of Acceptance-07-04-2021) * Email: aparnadt@gmail.com ABSTRACT e-ISSN:2581-6063 (online), ISSN:0972-5210 Plant Archives Volume 21, No 1, 2021 pp. 1405-1412 DOI Url: https://doi.org/10.51470/PLANTARCHIVES.2021.v21.no1.188 INTRODUCTION In today’s scenario, consumers are more concerned about their health and their lifestyle pattern is also changing rapidly which turns them towards the healthy utilization of fruits and vegetables. Also, today consumers possess a busy lifestyle and they do not have so much time to spend upon various other activities related to the consumption of food products, so they are attracted towards more easily available along with a ready-to-eat form of food products which include fruits and vegetables that are minimally processed, as these saves their time and provide them sufcient nutrients which ultimately fulfll their needs and requirements. (GlasAnBord, 2002; Martin-Diana et al., 2007). As per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), minimally processed fruits and vegetables are considered as fresh and healthy commodities which are cut, washed, treated with additives and preservatives, packaged, and then stored under refrigerated conditions. The fruits and vegetables which are to be minimally processed can be utilized in the raw state(FDA,1998). Due to the rise in the number of working women, modernized consumers which are mostly inclined towards their health, safety, quality, and nutrition, the consumers are shifting more towards minimally processed ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables (Baldwin et al., 1995). And due to these reasons, minimally processed fruits and vegetables have become a crucial segment of many restaurants and food centers (Ponce et al., 2008). Nowadays many of the restaurants and food centers are equipped with various dishes related to fresh fruits and vegetables which attract the consumers and its demand is increasing at a very faster rate. And also the purpose of introducing minimally processed fresh fruits and vegetables into restaurants as well as hotels is basically to decrease the work labor cost as well as to minimize the waste generation (Xu et al., 2003). Minimal Processing of fruits and vegetables results in a product that provides all the necessary nutrients which a body requires to maintain its healthy condition(Shahnawaz et al., 2013). Minimally processed fruits and vegetables possess various advantages in many ways. These include: a) Minimally processed products such as fruits and vegetables must be supplied in fresh form without any spoilage to the consumers and with proper packaging so that the products would be able to provide necessary functions. b) The minimally processed products which are to be supplied to the consumers should have a greater shelf life so that till the delivery of products to the consumers and up to consumption the products should remain in their fresh state and do not get stale (Garret E, 1994). Minimal