Postharvest physiology and conservation of carambola fruit

Abstract

Besides the conflict in the literature over the respiratory pattern of star fruit, researches are still necessary for techniques adapted to expand the markets for the fruit. The fragility, the browning and dehydration are the main obstacles in star fruit marketing. The project aims to characterize the respiratory pattern of 'Arkin' and 'Nota-10' fruit star and assess the conservation of fresh fruit with the combination of refrigeration, modified atmosphere (MA) and antioxidants. In the first experiment fruits treated or not with ethylene (1000 ¼l.l-1) will be characterized for the respiratory pattern, ethylene production, and also evaluated for skin color, acidity, soluble solids, pulp firmness. The second will assess the tolerance of fruit to chilling and the potential use of plastic films associated with refrigeration. It will be used polyvinyl chloride and a low density polyethylene (50 ¼m). The fruit will be stored for up to 24 days in chambers with temperature of 25±1 º C, 10±1 º C and 5±1 º C and evaluated as those of the previous experiment, and also for browning, mass loss and sensory evaluation. The last experiment aims to evaluate the potential of combining the use of antioxidants with MA and cold storage with star fruit. Thus four combinations will be used: 1% ascorbic acid, citric acid 1%, 1% ascorbic acid + 0.5% Cysteine Citric acid and 1% + 0.5% cysteine, and based on results of previous experiment, a selected temperature and film. The evaluations will be the same as the second experiment. The experiment will be completely randomized factorial. For the analysis of respiration and ethylene production of fruit 10 fruits will be used. For other analysis 3 replicates of 3 fruits will be used. The data collected will be submitted to variance analysis and comparison of average by the Tukey test at 5%. (AU)