Sensitivity of Tomatoes at Mature-green and Breaker Ripeness Stages to Internal Bruising

Abstract

<jats:p>Internal bruising (IB) caused by handling impacts results in disruption of normal ripening in tomato <jats:italic>(Lycopersicon esculentum</jats:italic> Mill.) locular gel. It was selected as an injury indicator to investigate the effect of drop height (O, 10, 20, 30 cm) onto an unpadded surface and number of impacts (one or two) for three tomato cultivars. For mature-green (MG) tomatoes, significant incidence of IB (5% to 45%) was found in all cultivars for single drops on opposite sides of fruits from 20 cm; two drops on the same location from 20 cm caused 20% to 30% IB. Breaker-stage (BR) tomatoes were more sensitive to impacts than MG. Single drops from 10 cm on opposite sides of BR fruits caused 15% to 73% IB, depending on cultivar. Two drops on a single location from 10 cm caused 50% to 68% IB. `Sunny' was less susceptible to IB than `Solar Set' or `Cobia' (formerly NVH-4459).</jats:p>

Internal Bruising Alters Aroma Volatile Profiles in Tomato Fruit Tissues

“…According to our data, locule tissue ripening was markedly affected by physical impact. This result is in line with the work of Halsey (1955), McColloch (1962, Sargent et al (1992), and Moretti et al (1998). Locule tissue components are more fluid and more readily perceived by taste receptors, and therefore a greater contribution to tomato flavor than other tissues (Stevens et al, 1977).…”

“…Hatton and Reeder (1963) described tomato fruit with internal bruising as having a disorganized, collapsed, and cloudy locule tissue. Sargent et al (1992) observed that tomato fruit at the breaker stage were more susceptible to internal bruising than fruit at the mature-green stage. MacLeod et al (1976) observed that ethylene and CO 2 evolution increased with the number of impacts.…”

Internalization of Salmonella enterica by tomato fruit

“…Fruit are sorted for color, size, grade, and defects, before eventual packaging. However, fruit are easily bruised during transfer from field bins to a grading line (Sargent, Brecht, & Zoellner, 1992). To avoid injury to fruit, most tomato packinghouses utilize a wet-dump system, where fruit are bulk transferred to a large tank (dump tank) of re-circulating water and then moved to a packing line by a flume of water (current of water moving continuously from beginning of dump tank to mechanical elevators).…”

Influência da embalagem no desenvolvimento de injúrias mecânicas em tomates

“…Quanto ao estádio de maturidade, foram selecionados frutos apresentando de 1% a 60% de coloração vermelha e então colocados nas embalagens estudadas (conforme especificadas nas Tabelas 1 e 2 e Figura 1), enquanto que alguns permaneceram em 3 caixas K para fins de comparação. Vinte frutos foram colocados em bandejas de papelão com separação individual para evitar qualquer vibração, impacto ou compressão mecânica durante seu transporte, constituindo o grupo controle segundo SINGH, SINGH, BATHEJA [13], SARGENT, BRECHT, ZOELLNER [12]. As embalagens foram dis-postas, aleatoriamente, no veículo (caminhonete F 1000), mas procurando submetê-las às mesmas condições de transporte, quanto à carga a ser suportada, exposição à radiação solar/umidade e posição em relação à roda (fator que pode influenciar nos impactos de vibração).…”

“…De acordo com SARGENT, BRECHT, ZOELLNER [12], os tomates transportados a longas distâncias estão, freqüentemente, sob condições que podem promover o crescimento de organismos deteriorantes nos locais de injúrias mecânicas (como ferimentos por impacto e compressão, cortes e abrasões). Sendo as injúrias mecânicas cumulativas, as várias etapas do manuseio, do campo ao consumidor, devem ser cuidadosamente coordenados e integrados para minimizar as perdas na qualidade do produto.…”