Renar João Bender

Utilização de atmosfera modificada na conservação de morangos em pós-colheita

Abstract – Two experiments were conducted to test the use of three initial compositions of storageatmospheres (3 kPa O 2 + 10 kPa CO 2 , 5 kPa O 2 + 15 kPa CO 2 or ambient air) and two storage periods(7 or 14 days) at 0 o C on the quality of strawberries ( Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cv. Oso Grande. Thefruits were originated from a grove of Farroupilha, RS, Brazil. In the first experiment, strawberries werestored in glass bottles with 1,700 mL of capacity. In the second experiment, polyethylene bags of53 cm x 90 cm and 90 µm of thickness were used. The use of atmospheres with 3 kPa O 2 + 10 kPa CO 2 or 5 kPa O 2 + 15 kPa CO 2 resulted in a good storage potential of strawberries for up to 7 days. Themodification of the atmosphere in polyethylene bags, using initial concentrations of ambient air alsoresulted in adequate fruit quality up to 7 days. The use of these atmospheres resulted in the maintenanceof the pulp firmness, good fruit color and higher contents of total sugars and of ascorbic acid.Index terms:

Patulin in food: state-of-the-art and analytical trends

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several fungal species of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus, found on several fruit species and, remarkably, in apples and apple products. Patulin has a broad spectrum of toxicity, including carcinogenicity and teratogenicity in animals. Due to the stability of the molecule, considerable amounts of patulin still remain in apple products after processing. This paper reviews different analytical methods for patulin determination and methods to reduce levels of patulin in apple products as well.

Instrumented Sphere for Compression Analysis

In this article we propose an experimental load cell to sense forces along the X, Y and Z axes. Its a sphere shaped load cell that is able to capture compression forces and can be used in different applications such as fruit compression analysis, soil compacting, among others. The development of the ring load cells was done by using a finite element analysis software. The ring load cells were mounted together and their signals were amplified by instrumentation amplifiers put inside them. To evaluate the transducer a complete data acquisition system was developed including a microcontrolled module and a PC computer, running a calibrated compression analysis software. The system was tested with fruits in packinghouses, during the postharvest process where these fruits are selected, boxed and transported. The developed software permits the real time analysis undergone by the compression and it has the capability of exporting data and graphics. The experimental set up with the instrumented sphere gave enough information for horticultural researchers to develop studies on fruit compression.

Innovative Rice Seed Coating (Oryza Sativa) with Polymer Nanofibres and Microparticles Using the Electrospinning Method

Seed treatments are chemical or biological substances that are applied to seeds to control infection by disease-causing organisms, insects, or other pests. Seed treatment reduces production costs of seedlings, reduces the consumption of seeds, facilitates mechanization of sowing and improves the seedling establishment. The generation of nanofibres and microcapsules by the electrospinning technique is a novel approach for active ingredient controlled release. The study evaluates an innovative rice seed coating (Oryza sativa) with polymer nanofibres and microparticles using this method. Materials and Methods : Polymer nanofibres and microcapsules were applied by the electrospinning technique to irrigated rice seeds. The treatments consisted of: 1) Control, 2) Negative control - Polymer based microcapsule without fungicide. 3) Polymer based microcapsule with fungicide. Microbiological assays and germination tests were performed following the guidelines of the Seed Analysis Rules of the Ministry of Agriculture. Results : The applied polymer as a coating did not affect the physiological quality of the seeds, as attested by the result of the germination tests, and they proved to be effective in the control of fungi disease in crop seeds. Conclusion : The germination and phytosanitary characteristics were improved in the analyzed study.

Wireless instrumented sphere for three-dimensional force sensing

In this work, a spherical shape portable data acquisition system capable of sensing compression and impact forces along the three Cartesian axes is presented. The developed instrument was validated in several different experiments of fruit packinghouses during the post harvest process in order to check the mechanical damages they suffer. It is a microcontroller embedded system that acquires data from four sensors (accelerometers, load cells, temperature and humidity). A Flash memory is used for data storage and a radio frequency transceiver and a universal serial bus (USB) communication port are provided to allow interface with external computers for data-processing and visualization. The case studies indicated strong compression and impact forces suggesting a need for changes in the mechanical and manual selection, packing and transportation of fruits. The developed device was proven to be useful, working as expected and its modular design allows future modifications. The preliminary results obtained with the instrumented sphere point to the need to more concern on damages fruits and vegetables endure along the post harvest handling chain.

Armazenagem em atmosfera modificada passiva de carambola azeda (Averrhoa carambola L.) cv. 'Golden Star'

This work was carried out to evaluate the effects of low density polyethylene bags (LDPB) with different thickness on Golden Star starfruit shelf life. The fruits were harvested at mature-green ripening stage, selected from lack of defects and placed in LDPB bags, constituting the following treatments: T1 - control (no bags); T2 - 6 mm thickness LDPB; T3 - 10 mm thickness LDPB; T4 - 15 mm thickness LDPB. Fruits were stored for 45 days in refrigerated air at 12 +/- 0,5oC and 95 +/- 3% RH and then left at 22 +/- 3oC and 72 +/- 5% RH for 5 days. Twenty-four hours after harvest and every nine days, samples were removed from cold storage, kept for 12 hours in ambient air (22 +/- 3oC and 72 +/- 5% RH) and then analyzed for flesh firmness, weight loss, epidermal color, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, and occurrence of physiological disorders. Fruits were also evaluated by a trained taste panel. Highest values of flesh firmness and titratable acidity, the best color standard, the lowest soluble content as well as decay incidence and the best acceptance scores by the taste panelists were achieved in fruits stored in 10 mm thickness LDPB.

Qualidade de carambolas azedas cv. 'Golden Star' tratadas com CaCl2 por imersão e armazenadas sob refrigeração

RESUMO - No presente trabalho, avaliou-se o efeito de diferentes concentracoes de CaCl 2 aplicadas na pos-colheita de carambolas cv. ‘Golden Star, durante o armazenamento refrigerado (AR). Os frutos colhidos fisiologicamente maturos foram selecionados pela ausencia de defeitos e imersos em solucoes de CaCl 2 , em diferentes concentracoes, em temperatura ambiente (22 °C) por 20 minutos. Apos aplicacao dos tratamentos T1 – controle (0% de CaCl 2 ); T2 – CaCl 2 a 1%; T3 – CaCl 2 a 2%; T4 – CaCl 2 a 3%, e T5 – CaCl 2 a 4%, os frutos foram colocados em câmara frigorifica, por 35 dias, a 12 ± 0,5oC e 95 ± 3%, e mais 3 dias a 22 ± 3°C e 72 ± 5% de umidade relativa (UR). 24 horas apos a colheita e a cada sete dias, amostras foram retiradas da AR, mantidas por 12 horas em condicoes ambiente (22 ± 3°C e 72 ± 5% UR) e analisadas quanto ao teor de calcio na polpa, perda de massa fresca, coloracao da epiderme, firmeza de polpa (FP), solidos soluveis totais (SST), acidez total titulavel (ATT) e a ocorrencia de disturbios fisiologicos. Ao final do experimento, foi feita uma analise sensorial. Observou-se que os frutos imersos em solucao de CaCl 2 a 2% apresentaram menor perda de massa fresca e maior firmeza de polpa. As carambolas deste tratamento tambem nao apresentaram manchas e podridoes e foram preferidas pelos julgadores no teste de preferencia. Os solidos soluveis totais, a acidez total titulavel e a coloracao nao apresentaram diferenca estatistica entre os tratamentos. Na analise de teores de calcio adsorvido pelos frutos, determinou-se que quanto, maior a concentracao da solucao de CaCl 2 aplicada, maior a concentracao de calcio presente na polpa. Termos para indexacao: Pos-colheita, armazenamento, Averrhoa carambola L., firmeza. QUALITY OF STARFRUIT CV ‘GOLDEN STAR’ TREATED WITH CaCl 2 AND STORED UNDER REFRIGERATED CONDITIONS

Efecto del acondicionado previo al almacenaje refrigerado sobre la calidad de ciruelas 'Constanza'

DELAYED COOLING EFFECT ON THE QUALITY OF ‘CONSTANZA’ PLUMS The effects of delayed cooling (DC) at 20 oC for 6 days before cold storage was studied in ‘Constanza’ plums evaluating development of quality and chilling injuries. At the end of the DC treatment the plums were cold stored at 0 oC for 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 or 42 days or at 5 oC for 7, 14 or 21 days and evaluated at harvest, after cold storage periods and after a ripening period at 20 oC. The control fruits were stored at 0 or 5 oC. Weight loss was low during storage at 0 or 5 oC and increased during ripening periods. Firmness changed little in control plums at 0 oC while in DC plums decreased constantly up to 28 days. Delayed cooling treatment resulted in significant decreases of firmness of plums stored at 5 oC, which presented 50% of fruit with unacceptable firmness for commercialization after the ripening periods starting from 7 days of storage. Extractable juice was higher in DC fruit than in control fruits at 0oC, but there were no differences in juiceness in plums stored at 5 oC. Woolliness was visualized at ripening in DC and control fruits stored at 0 or 5 oC without differences among treatments. At ripening, control fruit presented internal browning after 42 days at 0 oC and leatheriness after 28, 35 and 42 days at 0 oC. Delayed cooling induced an increase of the percentage of healthy fruit after 28, 35 and 42 days at 0 oC.DELAYED COOLING EFFECT ON THE QUALITY OF ‘CONSTANZA’ PLUMS The effects of delayed cooling (DC) at 20 oC for 6 days before cold storage was studied in ‘Constanza’ plums evaluating development of quality and chilling injuries. At the end of the DC treatment the plums were cold stored at 0 oC for 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 or 42 days or at 5 oC for 7, 14 or 21 days and evaluated at harvest, after cold storage periods and after a ripening period at 20 oC. The control fruits were stored at 0 or 5 oC. Weight loss was low during storage at 0 or 5 oC and increased during ripening periods. Firmness changed little in control plums at 0 oC while in DC plums decreased constantly up to 28 days. Delayed cooling treatment resulted in significant decreases of firmness of plums stored at 5 oC, which presented 50% of fruit with unacceptable firmness for commercialization after the ripening periods starting from 7 days of storage. Extractable juice was higher in DC fruit than in control fruits at 0oC, but there were no differences in juiceness in plums stored at 5 oC. Woolliness was visualized at ripening in DC and control fruits stored at 0 or 5 oC without differences among treatments. At ripening, control fruit presented internal browning after 42 days at 0 oC and leatheriness after 28, 35 and 42 days at 0 oC. Delayed cooling induced an increase of the percentage of healthy fruit after 28, 35 and 42 days at 0 oC.

Imersão em água quente no controle pós-colheita da podridão branca em maçãs cv. Fuji

Post harvest control of white rot on cv. Fuji apples by hot water heat treatments The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of heat treatments on the control of white rot caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea on ‘Fuji’ apples (Malus domestica). Apples were immersed for either 1, 2 or 3 min in hot water at 47, 49 or 52 °C. Before the heat treatments, the apples were inoculated with the fungus B. dothidea . After the treatments, apples were stored at 0-1 °C in controlled atmosphere (CA) with 1.2 - 1.6 kPa O 2 and 0.2 - 0.4 kPa CO 2 or in refrigerated air storage for one, three or five months. After each storage period, samples were transferred to room temperature for seven days and evaluated for lesion diameter and quality parameters. Hot water heat treatment at 47 °C for 3 min reduced lesion diameter of Fuji apples under CA storage. The CA storage resulted in better quality apples.

Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizae on cv. carmem avocado plants

The effects of six species of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) on root colonization, nutrient uptake, reserve substances, and vegetative development of cv. Carmem avocado (Persea sp.) plants were evaluated. Glomus clarum Nicol. and Schenck, Glomus etunicatum Becker and Gerd, Glomus manihotis How, Siev and Schenk; Acaulospora scrobiculata Trappe, Scutellospora heterogama Nicol and Gerd and Gigaspora margarita Becker and Hall were inoculated on avocado seedlings, onto which Carmem scions were grafted. Responses of the avocado plants to the different AM species 7 months after grafting were distinctly different. Scutellospora heterogama, A. scrobiculata, G. etunicatum, and G. clarum more thoroughly colonized the root system of the avocado plants, resulting in enhanced nutrient uptake and higher accumulation of reserve substances, which favored vegetative growth. The mutualism between avocado plants and G. margarita or G. manihotis was not efficient under the conditions of the present experiment. *Part of the dissertation of the first author towards the degree of Master of Science.