PubMed · 2026-05-30
Researchers turned discarded marigold flowers from temples and markets into a safe, biodegradable colored powder (gulal, used in festivals like Holi), finding that cold storage in steel containers best preserved its color quality and antioxidant properties for up to 4 months.
Steel containers under cold storage (4°C) preserved the highest levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds compared to polythene bags or ambient conditions.
Quality was best maintained at the 4-month storage mark, with degradation increasing at 8 and 12 months regardless of packaging.
Marigold cultivar 'Laddu Gainda' harvested in two seasonal windows (August and December) produced gulal with measurable differences in physico-chemical and sensory attributes.