Postharvest Physiology and Storage of Golden Apple (Spondias cytherea sonnerat or Spondias dulcis forst): A Review

Abstract

The golden apple (Spondias dulsis forst. syn. Spondias cytherea Sonn.) originated in the Society of Islands in the South Pacific and widely distributed in the Caribbean, Florida Keys, Hawaii, Venezuela and Central America and has successfully adapted as a natural part of the landscape and diet. Golden apple fruits at the mature-green, semi-ripe and ripe stages of maturity are utilized in the fresh and processed states and are a major export fruit and foreign exchange earner for many Caribbean islands. The fruit is an ovoid drupe with a spiny stone, climacteric in nature and exists in two forms: the large type (diameter 5-6 cm, length 9-10 cm, average weight 200 g) and the miniature or dwarf type (diameter 4-5 cm, length 5-6 cm, average weight 65 g). Golden apple fruits stored under ambient conditions require 6-9 days to undergo ripening from the mature-green stage to the golden yellow full ripe stage compared to storage under refrigerated conditions where an additional 6-10 days are needed to achieve the same objective. Mature-green fruits have a total soluble solids (TSS) content of 4.6-10.9%, total titratable acidity (TTA) of 0.45-1.07% and TSS/ TTA of 7.7-19.1. Fully ripened fruits on the other hand have 9-16.3% TSS, 0.53-1.16% TTA and 8.7-22.4 TSS: TTA. Golden apple fruits are an excellent source of antioxidants with phenolic compounds averaging 349.5 mg gallic acid per 100 g -1 fresh weight and vitamin C of 52.0 mg per 100 -1 fresh weight. Golden apple fruit of both genetic lines are very sensitive to chilling injury (CI). Waxing effectively delayed the appearance of CI symptoms such as pitting. The ripened golden apple fruits are used to make jams, preserved jellies, nectars and sparkling beverages. Unripe fruits are eaten in curries, or as green salads, pickles, chutneys, sauces and amchar. More recently, the fruit skin has been recognized as a novel source of pectin and utilized as a gelling agent in jams, confectionary and bakery fillings as well as a stabilizer in yogurts and milk drinks. is more popular is borne on trees attaining a height of 9-25 m whilst the miniature or dwarf type is from trees about 1.5-3 m (Figure 1). Fruit shape vary from oval to round or pear-shaped for both types, and fruit size range from about 5-6 cm in diameter and 9-10 cm in length with an average weight of 200 g for the large type [3]. The miniature or dwarf type is about 4-5 cm in diameter and 5-6 cm in length and averages 65 g in weight [4][5][6]. The trees of both types are rapid-growing, upright with a rigid and symmetrical shape. It is a stately ornamental with deciduous, pinnate leaves 20-60 cm in length, composed of 9-25 glossy, elliptic or obovate-oblong leaflets 6.25-10 cm long, which are finely toothed towards the apex [2]. Small, inconspicuous, whitish flowers are borne in large terminal panicles which are assorted male and female and perfect in each cluster. Long-stalked fruits are borne in clusters of a dozen or more, with thin but tough skin, often russetted. While the fruit is still firm, the flesh ...

Design, Development and Performance Evaluation of an Abrasion Peeling Machine for Ambarella (<em>Spondias dulcis</em>) fruits

“…Tall local stain (Large fruit type) and dwarf introduction (Miniature fruit type) are the two verities available in Sri Lanka (Department of Agriculture Sri Lanka, 2015). Ambarella is cultivated throughout the country regardless of the differences in agro-climatic zones as small acreages or home gardens under cultivation and is not classified as a plantation crop (Mohammed et al, 2017). Harvest can be obtained year-round from dwarf cultivars and from July to August from tall cultivars ( Department of Agriculture Sri Lanka, 2015).…”