Author(s): Wafaa Hamed Abd El-Aleem and Emad Saleh Hamed

Abstract: This postharvest experiment was carried out in Egypt during the two successive seasons of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 to study the effect of storage conditions on quantity and quality of dry leaves of Mentha spicata L. cv. Siwa plants. The design of experiment was split plot. The main plots included four storage periods:- 0, 4, 8 and 12 months at room temperature of 22-25ºC and a relative humidity of 50-60% whereas the sub plots included using of four packaging materials:- polyethylene bags, brown kraft paper bags (90 g), polypropylene bags and linen bags. Results showed that increasing of storage periods significantly decreased weight of leaves and essential oil percent as well as changed oil chemical composition. The significant lowest loss in weight and essential oil percent was recorded by packing in polyethylene bags followed by kraft paper bags, polypropylene bags and then linen bags. Due to environmental, health and commercial commitments it was concluded that under room temperature conditions, dry leaves should be stored for only 4 months in kraft paper bags followed by linen bags to have the minimum loss in quantitative and qualitative aspects.