# Shelf-life Assessment on European Cucumber Based on Accelerated Temperature-Humidity Stresses
## 3 Results  
### Degradation and Statistical Analysis  
The initial phase of the study, as mentioned in the methodology, included a cucumber degradation analysis. As stated, the main objective was to determine the effects that imply a level of loss of quality of the cucumbers, and then consider it as a failure mode in the accelerated life test. Therefore, every third day for 21 days of sampling, samples of three European cucumbers with plastic covers and three without plastic covers were compared to assess the percentage of weight loss, firmness, \({}^{\circ}\)Brix, and pH. The results are shown in Table 4.  
With these values, an ANOVA analysis was performed to obtain the significance of each value over the deterioration of the cucumbers. The outcomes from the evaluated parameters are displayed in Table 5. This table shows the significant factors affecting the degradation of the cucumbers. Regarding the obtained results, it was observed that firmness and pH did not present a significant difference from the statistical analysis. Hence, the decision was made to discard both firmness and pH evaluations during the accelerated life test. Finding the numbers that the accelerated test would use to be a complete failure was the goal of this investigation. To determine the values at which it is believed that the cucumbers no longer possess the desired quality, the degradation analysis was conducted. The comportment of pH, \({}^{\circ}\)Brix, and weight loss over time was then observed. Clearly, the linearity of weight loss by time is observed. Figure 1 depicts the significant weight loss over time. This measurement is used to identify the point at which the product may fail. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Day**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**Cover**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Weight Loss (\%)**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{\({}^{\circ}\)**Brix**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**pH**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Firmness**} \\ \cline{3-10}  & & **Mean** & **SD** & **Mean** & **SD** & **Mean** & **SD** & **Mean** & **SD** \\ \hline
1 & with & 1.5788 & 0.04 & 3.1333 & 0.015 & 6.0 & 0.006 & 71.2333 & 0.55 \\ \hline
3 & with & 3.5386 & 0.045 & 3.3667 & 0.012 & 6.1433 & 0.015 & 70.8555 & 0.55 \\ \hline
5 & with & 6.1572 & 0.027 & 3.6 & 0.011 & 6.3566 & 0.010 & 70.3555 & 1.00 \\ \hline
7 & with & 8.3774 & 0.015 & 3.3667 & 0.009 & 6.7333 & 0.010 & 69.9666 & 1.01 \\ \hline
9 & with & 10.1885 & 0.31 & 3.2333 & 0.012 & 6.82 & 0.011 & 69.6 & 0.60 \\ \hline
11 & with & 11.7414 & 0.018 & 3.2667 & 0.013 & 7.12 & 0.02 & 69.4444 & 0.52 \\ \hline
13 & with & 13.8750 & 0.059 & 3.6 & 0.067 & 7.3033 & 0.009 & 69.1888 & 1.00 \\ \hline
15 & with & 15.9681 & 0.052 & 3.8333 & 0.015 & 7.75 & 0.010 & 68.7555 & 0.55 \\ \hline
17 & with & 17.6796 & 0.13 & 3.9 & 0.043 & 7.53333 & 0.011 & 67.4888 & 0.54 \\ \hline
1 & without & 0.1989 & 0.009 & 3.0333 & 0.008 & 6.06 & 0.012 & 69.7111 & 0.55 \\ \hline
3 & without & 0.2339 & 0.010 & 3.4667 & 0.012 & 6.0866 & 0.016 & 71.1888 & 0.68 \\ \hline
5 & without & 0.3686 & 0.016 & 3.1 & 0.018 & 6.22 & 0.010 & 71.4888 & 1.02 \\ \hline
7 & without & 0.4245 & 0.023 & 3.1 & 0.007 & 6.53 & 0.012 & 71.5555 & 1.00 \\ \hline
9 & without & 0.4799 & 0.02 & 3.0333 & 0.014 & 6.7233 & 0.010 & 71.0555 & 1.10 \\ \hline
11 & without & 0.5939 & 0.015 & 2.9333 & 0.011 & 6.7633 & 0.012 & 71.0555 & 1.10 \\ \hline
13 & without & 0.6 Due to weight loss during the initial days of storage, which causes the cucumber's solids to concentrate, the percentage of \({}^{\circ}\)Brix is seen to grow in both treatments. However, as the cucumbers ages, it becomes obvious that the percentage of \({}^{\circ}\)Brix drops. At this point, it can be argued that there is a relationship between the increase in pH and the numbers, keeping in mind that when this occurs, organic acids are transformed into sugars throughout the maturation process. However, the values continue to rise. See Figure 2. Moreover, the cover impacts the reduction in moisture loss, so the solids do not have much change.