# Shelf-life Assessment on European Cucumber Based on Accelerated Temperature-Humidity Stresses
## 1 Introduction
These modifications depend on the manufacturing method, the product's characteristics, and the storage duration, leading to both microbiological changes and changes in sensory and/or physical-chemical properties of the food [19]. For this study, the European variety of cucumber (_Cucumis sativus_ L.) was used, which is grown under shade mesh and provided by an agricultural packaging company located in Sinaloa, Mexico. According to our industry partner, the ideal temperature range for cucumber harvesting during the day is 20-30 \({}^{\circ}\)C. Temperatures above 30 \({}^{\circ}\)C can negatively affect the growth of the plants, while temperatures below 17 \({}^{\circ}\)C at night can cause malformations in leaves and fruits. The critical threshold temperature is 14 \({}^{\circ}\)C, where growth stops, and temperatures below freezing cause damage to the plants. The cucumber plant requires a high level of humidity, with the optimal relative humidity during the day being 60-70%, and at night being 70-90%. However, excessive humidity during the day can lower production by reducing respiration and subsequently photosynthesis. When the humidity level exceeds 90% and the atmosphere is saturated with steam, condensations on the crop or dripping from the cover can lead to fungal diseases. Additionally, a wet crop in the morning starts working later as the energy must be directed towards evaporation of water from the surface of the leaves [19; 20]. Once collected, the cucumber begins to undergo rapid metabolic changes that lead to tissue aging and death. Postharvest handling contributes to maintaining the product's quality for the final consumer; among the major postharvest problems are physical and chemical changes that detract from the product's appearance and quality; the rate of fruit decomposition varies depending on storage and transport conditions. Ref. [21] presented a study where different degradation tests were made to cucumbers with and without a plastic cover, and a weight loss less than 1% was observed in the cultivars of cucumber with plastic films and about 8% in the cultivars without plastic films. This same procedure was used to execute our degradation test. Despite the risk of such economic losses, the agricultural industry does not have information on the effects relative humidity conditions and temperature may cause on weight loss and lack of firmness in the European cucumbers during storage in refrigeration chambers. The knowledge of the shelf life of European cucumbers allows us to predict the losses of the quality attributes of the product under normal operating conditions and thus be able to reduce the claims received by the customer. This research examines how temperature and humidity affect the shelf life of European cucumbers since there is a literature gap on this theme. The study then uses accelerated life testing to model how these factors impact the quality attributes required for exporting these cucumbers. By doing so, the research aims to assist the agricultural industry by providing predictions on the weight and firmness of European cucumbers at various storage temperatures, thus helping to minimize economic losses.