Post-harvest quality of Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg. in function of storage temperature

Abstract

Brazil has a large variety of native and exotic fruit species, including the gabiroba, which can be sources of income for the population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the post-harvest behavior of gabiroba fruit by maturity stage and storage temperature. The fruits were divided into two lots and stored at temperatures of 6, 12, 24 and 30°C. The first batch was used for the physical and chemical analysis of acidity, soluble solids, firmness, percentage of green color, and visual analysis; this batch was composed of green and yellow-green fruit. The second lot was intended for breath analysis, composed of green, yellow-green, and yellow fruits. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with five replications. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Considering the evaluated characteristics, the gabiroba soluble solid/titratable acidity ratio values should be approximately 4.0 for the fruits to be considered acceptable for consumption. For the preservation of the post-harvest quality of gabiroba, it is indicated that the harvest is carried out at the green stage of maturation and that they are stored at a temperature of 6°C. The highest respiratory rates were observed in fruits harvested at the yellow stage, not being recommended its storage.