Tecnologias pós-colheita para o aumento da vida-útil do abacaxi Turiaçu produzido no Amazonas

Abstract

The "Turiaçu" variety of pineapple fruit is predominant in pineapples prodtuction fields in Amazonas State, Brazil, wich its main producer area belongs to Itacoatiara city. Both productive and qualitative potential is able to compare with the largest farmed, Pérola and Smooth Cayene varieties. The cv. “Turiaçu” presents internal browning of fruits, as well as occurs in other varities, and it is unacceptable, mainly by demanding consumers. Thereby, maturation levels during harvest and ideal temperatures of stocking are essential factors in post-harvest period in quality conservation and postharvest shelf life of pineapple fruit. This, the objective of this paper is to determine the ideal maturation harvest stage and to evaluate different storage temperatures looking for best post-harvesting shelf life of cv. “Turiaçu”. The fruits came from Novo Remanso Region, Itacoatiara – Amazonas State, 230km far from Manaus – AM. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design. In the first stage, the arrangement was 4 x 2, four stages of maturation (T1-ripe, T2-colored, T3-painted and T4-green) in two evaluation times (initial - harvest and final), with the fruits stored at ambient temperature (29°C ± 2°C and 78.3% ± 10% R.U.). In the second stage 2 x 2, two temperatures (12°C and 16°C) in two evaluation times, using the maturation stage with the longest shelf life observed in the first stage. After harvesting, the fruits were transported to the Product Technology Laboratory at the Federal University of Amazonas. The fruits were evaluated in terms of physical and physicochemical variables. Pineapples stored at 16°C were the most affected with internal browning, being discarded after 20 days of storage.