ABSTRACT

The natural ripening process of fruit involves a series of physical and chemical transformations, leading to sweetness, coloration, softness, and enhanced taste. This research aimed to explore the impacts of two ripening methods on the nutritional value, namely; calcium carbide and wood ash, on orange. Freshly plucked green matured oranges were used for the determination of proximate analysis and mineral content (potassium (k), phosphorus (p), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na).  Calcium carbide had the highest Ca, Mg, P, Na (111.10 mg/100g, 108.25mg/100g, 50.05mg/100g and 50.30mg/100g respectively and also shows significant differences between the two ripening methods based on the contents respectively. The results of the study showed that using calcium carbide as a ripening agent significantly reduced the nutrients in the fruit. Because of its possible effects on nutritional quality, ash has been used as a preservative in food preservation.   The study evaluates changes in important nutritional characteristics such vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants using analytical techniques, such as nutritional analysis with untreated oranges. The results shed light on the effectiveness of ash as a preservative and how it affects oranges' nutritional value.