<b>Influence of waxing coupled to 1-methylcyclopropene on compositional changes in early harvested ‘gold’ pineapple for export

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This work evaluated the changes in quality in early-harvested 'Gold' pineapple after coating with wax and exposure to 1-Methylcycloprepene before or after coating. The storage conditions and the experimental period simulated those of shipping and marketing, assuming that Ceará, Brazil, is the production site and Europe is the marketplace. Evaluation was performed after harvest, upon removal of the fruit from cold storage, and every three days during room storage. Evaluations included visual quality of the fruit, shell yellowing, mass loss, flesh color, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids to acid ratio, ascorbic acid, total soluble sugars, reducing sugar, phenolic content, and yellow flavonoids. Low temperature was the key variable for maintaining fruit quality during storage and simulated shipping. Waxing had a remarkable effect on visual quality, delaying yellowing and reducing shell dehydration. Those effects were not enhanced by the application of 1-MCP. 1-MCP treatment resulted in the maintenance of total phenolic content and retention of yellow flavonoids. Fruit flesh became lighter, while yellow color became more vivid during storage. Sugars and pH varied little during storage, while the decline in TA was more intense in waxed fruit. 1-MCP and waxing may be combined to preserve external and internal quality.Keywords: Ananas comosus L. Merrill, shipping, market, shell appearance, eating quality.Influencia de revestimento associado ao 1-metilciclopropeno nas alterações do abacaxi 'Gold' colhido verdoso para exportação RESUMO. Este trabalho objetivou determinar as mudanças na qualidade do abacaxi 'Gold' colhido verdoso, recoberto com cera e exposto ao 1-MCP antes ou após o recobrimento. As condições de armazenamento simularam o transporte e comercialização, considerando o estado do Ceará como o centro de produção e Europa como o centro de comercialização. As avaliações ocorreram após a aplicação dos tratamentos, após a retirada da refrigeração e a cada três dias durante o armazenamento ambiente e incluiu qualidade visual, perda de massa, amarelecimento da casca, coloração da polpa, sólidos solúveis, acidez titulável, pH, relação sólidos solúveis e acidez, açúcares solúveis, açúcares redutores, ácido ascórbico, flavonóides amarelos e compostos fenólicos totais. A refrigeração foi a chave para a conservação da qualidade durante o transporte. O recobrimento com cera conservou a qualidade visual reduzindo a desidratação e atrasando o amarelecimento da casca. Tratamento com 1-MCP não incrementou estes efeitos, mas resultou na conservação dos teores de flavonóides amarelos e fenólicos. A polpa tornou-se clara e vívida durante o armazenamento. Açúcares e pH variaram pouco durante o armazenamento, enquanto a acidez titulável dos frutos recobertos declinou mais intensamente. Cera e 1-MCP podem ser combinados para a preservação da qualidade visual e interna de abacaxi 'Gold'. Palavras-chave:Ananas comosus L. Merrill, transporte, comercialização, aparência da casca, qualidade comestível.

Comparison of Different Fruit Coatings to Enhance the Shelflife of Kinnow Mandarin

“…Decrease in phenolics after a defined time period might be due to decrease in antioxidant activity and this degradation is the sign of lower internal resistance of fruits against pathogen attack. These results are supported by Machado et al (2014) who reported a slight increase in phenolic contents during initial storage followed by a continuous decrease after the application of different coating types on pineapple fruit. Higher activities of antioxidants were recorded in the wax coated fruits after 90 days as compared to control and benzaldehyde coating.…”