Heloísa Almeida Cunha Filgueiras

Mudanças relacionadas ao amaciamento da graviola durante a maturação pós-colheita

This work aimed to evaluate the physical, chemical and biochemical changes related to softening during maturation of Crioula soursop fruit (Annona muricata L.). Fruits were harvested at the physiological maturity stage from plants grown at Embrapa Agroindustria Tropical Experimental Station, in Pacajus, CE, Brazil, and were stored at 26.3±0.6 oC and 88±12% relative humidity, during 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days. A completely randomized design was used with four replicates. The following variables were evaluated: weight loss; starch content; total and soluble pectin content and enzymatic activity of amylase, pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase and alfa- and beta-galactosidases. There was no significant variation in the soluble pectin content. Weight loss reached 5% in the fifth day, without causing fruit shriveling. Reductions on starch and on total pectin contents occurred in the period of great enzymatic activity, respectively, of amylase and of polygalacturonase, and cell wall beta-galactosidase. The most significant changes on the contents of starch and total pectin, on pectin solubilization and on the activity of the enzymes amylase, pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase and cell wall beta-galactosidase occurred from the second to the fourth day after harvest.

Physical-chemical changes in early dwarf cashew pseudofruits during development and maturation

Abstract Cashews (nut+apple) were harvested in July 1997 from clones of early dwarf cashew trees installed under irrigation at MAISAs (Mossoro Agroindustrial S.A.) property, in Mossoro-Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, and sorted according to the apple size and skin colour, into seven development and maturity stages. The following characteristics were analysed in the apples: weight, length, upper and lower diameters, pulp firmness, pH, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA ratio, vitamin C, tannins, total carotenoids, total chlorophyll, total pectin, total calcium, anthocyanins, starch, soluble calcium and reducing sugars. Pseudofruits increased significantly in size after the full development of the nuts. The peak of consumption quality, i.e. highest soluble solids, reducing sugars content, and highest SS/TA ratio was reached at the end of stage seven.

Desenvolvimento de frutos de cirigueleira (Spondias purpurea L.)

The aim of this research was to evaluate the development profile of red mombin fruits. For the evaluation of growth and maturation, open flowers were marked after anthesis and fruits were sampled at regular intervals, and length, diameter, volume, and, fresh and dry weights were measured throughout the development following the growth of the fruits. Red mombin fruit developmental cycle, from anthesis to full ripening, lasted 124 days, characterized by the increase in fresh and dry weights, volume, length, and diameter. The growth period, mainly characterized by the increase in fruit length, had the highest growth rate until approximately 55 days, followed by a lower growth rate period from 55 to 105 days post-anthesis. Fruit maturation, which started when fruit growth rates slowed down, was set around 100 days and fruit ripening was initiated around 119 days post-anthesis.

Armazenamento de dois tipos de sapoti sob condição de ambiente

This work aims to evaluate the postharvest life of two types of sapodilla at ambient temperature and with or without modified atmosphere (PVC film packing). The experiment consisted in storing fruits, harvested at Embrapa´s (Agroindustria Tropical) Experimental Station located in Paraipaba, Ceara, Brazil, under ambient condition (24 ± 2oC and 90 ± 5% U.R), on retail trays where half of these trays was wrapped in PVC and the other half, was not wrapped. Fruits of two types were evaluated for weight loss; pulp firmness; total soluble solids; titrable acidity; pH; total soluble sugars, reducing sugars and starch contents. Fruits stored under MA had less weight loss and greater reduction in pulp firmness when compared to those under AA. Decreases in acidity, soluble solids and total sugar contents and pH were found in both types of fruit during storage under both atmosphere conditions, as well as an increase in reduced sugars content. The type II fruits, had the longest post-harvest shelf-life.

CARACTERÍSTICAS FÍSICAS DE PEDÚNCULOS DE CAJUEIRO PARA COMERCIALIZAÇÃO IN NATURA

Nine clones of early dwarf cashew (Anacardium occidentale L. var. nanum) were evaluated within an experiment of clone competition under irrigation in Mossoro-RN, Brazil, with the objective of selecting cashew apples for fresh fruit market. Clone CCP 76 was used as a control. Cashews were harvested in august 1997 and evaluated for: firmness, size (upper and lower diameter and length), shape, color (color chart and pigment content) and weight (whole and apple). Only clone CCP 09 among those evaluated produced poorer coloring than control CCP 76, while in apples from clones CAP 6 (500), END 157, END 189 and END 329 the color was more intense than in control. Only clones END 157, END 183 and END 189 besides the control produced apples that can be classified as type 4 (highest commercial value), whilst only clones CAP 6 (500), END 157 and END 183 produced pear shaped apples. Clone END 157 presented the best characteristics for fresh fruit market even when compared to control. Results for clones END 183 and END 189 were similar to control, except for color in END 183 and shape in END 189.

Armazenamento refrigerado sob atmosfera modificada de pedúnculos de cajueiro-anão-precoce dos clones CCP-76, end-157, end-183 e end-189

Apples or false fruits from early dwarf cashew clones CCP-76, END-157, END-183 and END-189 were stored for 25 days under refrigeration associated to modified atmosphere with the aim of evaluating the effect of the conditions presently adopted (5oC and 85-90% RH) for conservation, storage and commercialization of fresh cashew apples. The cashew apples were evaluated every 5 days for the following characteristics: weight loss, pulp firmness, color (anthocyannins), acidity, pH, soluble solids, vitamin C and phenolic contents. With the use of refrigeration and modified atmosphere it was possible to attain postharvest storage life of 10 days for clone END 189, 15 days for clone END 157 and up to 25 days for clones CCP 76 and END 183. It was found that 5oC was not an adequate temperature to store cashew apples with deeper color (END 157 and END 189) than the control (CCP 76), as it caused loss of anthocyannins starting from the 10th day of storage. Weight loss was significantly reduced by the use of modified atmosphere, favoring the appearance of the cashew apples for market, independently of the clone.

Qualidade de pedúnculos de caju submetidos à aplicação pós-colheita de cálcio e armazenados sob refrigeração

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of postharvest calcium applications on chemical and physico-chemical characteristics, quality atributes and calcium tissue concentration of early dwarf cashew pseudofruits (Anacardium occidentale L.), stored under refrigeration and modified atmosphere. The cashews were immersed in water and in different calcium chloride solution concentrations (0.5, 1 and 2% (w/v)) for two minutes. Cashews were put in polysterene trays, packed in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and storaged at 5±1°C, 88±3% RH for 25 days. The total soluble solids (Brix) and soluble sugars decreased during storage. The pseudofruits, independent of the chloride calcium concentration, showed a tendency to decrease the total titratable acidity and vitamin C, and an increase of pH during storage. The anthocyanins content showed no variation in treated cashew pseudofruits. Small reductions in less polymerized polyphenolic fraction were observed during the storage period. The chloride calcium concentrations 0.5 and 2.0% slightly increased tissue calcium concentration until the 15 o storage day, and decreased, afterwards, until the end of the experiment.

Fisiologia do dano pelo frio em ciriguela (Spondias purpurea L.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of maturation stage, temperature and exposure time on the incidence of chilling injury (CI) in red mombin fruit. For the evaluation of the less susceptible maturation stage to CI, fruits were harvested at breaker (B), pigment initiation (PI), and yellow predominant (YP) stages and exposed to temperature of 9.5 oC, 10.5 oC, and 14.5 oC, during 1, 3, and 5 days. For the evaluation of CI development in fruits at YP stage, ten temperatures ranging from 5 oC to 14.5 oC, were tested. For fruits at B stage, irreversible CI symptoms were present at 14.5 oC, after 3 days, while for PI stage these symptoms were severe after 5 days. For the YP stage, no CI symptom was detected between 9.5 oC and 14.5 oC. The YP stage presented a light CI index at 9 oC, after 5 days. The low temperature sensitivity and CI occurrence in red mombin fruit were dependent on maturation stage. The YP stage presented the best adaptation to low temperatures and 9.5 oC was the limit temperature at which red mombin fruit could be stored without CI risk.

Armazenamento de pitangas sob atmosfera modificada e refrigeração: II - qualidade e conservação pós-colheita

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de atmosfera modificada (AM) na conservacao pos-colheita de pitangas colhidas nos estadios de maturacao e inicio da pigmentacao (IP), vermelho-alaranjado (VA) e vermelho predominante (VP) e armazenadas a 10 e a 14 oC (90 ± 1%UR) e condicoes ambientes (23± 2 oC e 85 ± 2%UR). O uso de AM associada a refrigeracao resultou em menores perdas de massa, incidencia de fungo e enrugamento. A AM tambem permitiu um aumento de quatro dias na vida util pos-colheita, mantendo a qualidade acima do limite de aceitacao durante oito dias, para pitangas do estadio VA mantidas sob refrigeracao. Em conjunto, pitangas colhidas no estadio de maturacao vermelho-alaranjado apresentaram melhor potencial de armazenamento, quando mantidas sob atmosfera modificada a 10 oC.

Postharvest changes and respiratory pattern of bacuri fruit (Platonia insignis Mart.) at different maturity stages during ambient storage

ABSTRACT Bacuri ( Platonia insignis , Mart.) is one of the most important among Amazonian fruits. However, little is known about itspostharvest physiology, such as maturity stages, changes during ambient storage, and respiratory pattern. Fruits wereharvested at three maturity stages based on epicarp colour: dark green, light green, and turning (50% yellow), in order todetermine colour modification and respiratory pattern during ambient storage (25.2 0 C, 75.1 % RH). Fruit of all maturitystages showed, after three days of harvest, a non-climacteric respiratory pattern, with turning fruit presenting the highestCO 2 production rate until the fourth storage day (177.63 mg.CO 2 .kg -1 .h -1 ). Yellowing increased throughout storage asrelated to lightness, chromaticity, and hue angle reductions. Turning fruit can be stored at ambient conditions for up to 10days without any loss in marketability. KEY WORDS Guttiferae, Tropical fruit, Non-climacteric, postharvest. Mudancas pos-colheita e padrao respiratorio de frutosde bacuri (