Pre-cooling and refrigerated storage effect under physico-chemical and biochemical aspects of cambuci fruits

Abstract

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of pre-cooling and cold storage of cambucis, by means of physical-chemical and biochemical parameters. The harvest happened in Natividade da Serra (SP), the experiment was conducted at the Post-Harvest Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory of the Department of Biological Sciences of the Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”. The treatments are differentiated by pre-cooling and storage at 5 and 25 ºC for 48 hours. The evaluations were made at the following times: field, arrival, 12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours of storage. The parameters evaluated were total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content, ethanol and acetaldehyde accumulation and skin and pulp proanthocyanidin content. The SST content did not vary considerably during storage. The titratable acidity and the ascorbic acid content were lower in the treatments that were pre-cooled and those that were stored at 5 ºC. The fruits that were pre-cooled and also stored at 25 ºC showed a greater accumulation of ethanol and acetaldehyde. The content of proanthocyanidins in the skin and pulp decreased when pre-cooling and storage at 25 ºC was done, which is the best treatment after 48 hours.