Ripening and shelf life of 'BRS Caipira' banana fruit stored under room temperature or refrigeration

Abstract

BRS Caipira variety, internationally known as 'Yangambi km 5', is an alternative to meet the demand of 'Maçã'type fruit due to its resistance to Panama disease. This study had the objective of generating information about 'BRS Caipira' fruit ripening and cold storage potential. For the ripening study fruits were stored under room temperature conditions (25±2°C / 58±6% U.R.) and assessed for postharvest life evaluation and characterization of seven maturity stages based on peel color: completely green -MS1; green with yellow traces -MS2; more green than yellow -MS3; more yellow than green -MS4; yellow with green tips -MS5; completely yellow -MS6; yellow with brown spots -MS7. For the cold storage potential study, fruits at MS1 were cold stored (14±1°C / 53±2% U.R.) for 28 days. Weekly, fruits were transferred to room temperature to ripen until MS6 when were assessed for quality attributes. Ripening of 'BRS Caipira' fruit was characterized as slow between MS1 and MS2 (averaging fi ve days), then fast between MS2 and MS6 (up to four days in average), and undergoing determinant changes between MS6 and MS7: pulp yield reached 80%, titratable acidity reduced by 50% and ratio increased by 78%. Cold storage extended shelf life by up to 19 days as compared with control, without visible symptoms of chilling injury, although tends to reduce soluble solids in ripe fruit. Maximum recommended time for storage of 'BRS Caipira' fruit at 14°C is 21 days, since it allows a few more days under room temperature until fruit reach MS6.

Cold Tolerance of Banana Fruits of Different Cultivars

“…Lima et al (2014) found no clear effect of cold storage (14°C) on the acidity of bananas of cultivar Caipira. However, in the present study, the fruits of the cultivars Prata, Maçã and Caipira presented average titratable acidity value 41.5% higher than the control after 21 days of storage, indicating the beginning of ripening during the cold storage period.…”

Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4) in Relation to Temperatures Alters Shelf Life and Quality of Banana (Musa paradisiaca L.)

“…These differences were accompanied by changes in the respi-ration pattern of the bananas, their quality parameters (TSS, peel and pulp firmness) and their soluble sugars and organic acids composition. Lima et al [10] reported that there was reduction in soluble solids for ripe fruit under ambient temperature and (11.33%) when compared with low storage (16.77%). Ahmad et al [14] reported that ripening speed of small and large size banana was also not affected by the treatment; but the total soluble solids were markedly higher 22.7% and 22.6% in small size banana fruits as compared to 22.0 and 21.7% in large size banana fruits under experiment under 16°C and 18°C temperatures for ripening storage.…”

“…For small scale farmers, the carrier should be available in local markets, abundant and low cost preferably cheap. Many materials have been evaluated such as charcoal, floating stone and sawdust [9][10], and zeolite to prolong banana storage. Using zeolite as carrier of KMnO 4 banana quality was kept 7 days longer compared to the control.…”

“…During storage under tropical climates with relatively higher ambient temperatures, bananas ripen fast and shelf life is shorter ambient temperature. The low storage of banana ensures extended shelf life [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”