QUALITY OF THE FRUITS OF Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) Moore & Stearn AND TOLERANCE TO FORCED HUMID HOT AIR

Abstract

Mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore & Stearn) fruits are highly climacteric, mature rapidly, and are exposed to damage from microorganisms. With the aim of having alternatives to control the sapote fly, the application of controlled atmospheres of forced humid hot air in sapote fruits was evaluated, defining the tolerance without being harmful to the quality and shelf life. The fruits were treated with forced humid hot air at 43, 46 and 50 °C, and 90% of HR at different times of exposure; immediately, cooled with water at room temperature and stored for 15 days at 10 and 25 °C. The most damaged fruits in the mesocarp were at 50 °C/120 min and the controls or without application. The fruits at 25 °C reached their maturity for consumption after eight days. The ones treated with forced hot air lost more weight and showed less firmness; also, the color of the mesocarp decreased in luminosity (L*), chrome (C*), and hue angle (h*), went from pink color at the beginning and changed to red-orange at maturity for consumption and lastly were brown after 15 days. The fruits at 10 °C were kept with slight changes in firmness, loss of weight and longer shelf life; however, the color of the mesocarp was dark after 15 days at 50 °C/120 min. The undamaged fruits and which maintained quality were the ones exposed to 43 °C/120 min and stored at 25 and 10 °C; however, they showed differences from the effect of both temperatures of storage, which were recorded after 8 and 15 days of storage.