Quality and conservation in postharvest conditions of passion fruit under storage

Resumo

The passion fruit is a highly perishable fruit after its remotion of the plant, which predisposes to rapid pericarp dehydration accompanied of fruit wilting, thus reducing maintenance and marketing period. Thus, the aim of the present study was evaluate the quality and conservation in postharvest conditions of the passion fruit under storage, verifying the period related to shelf life of the product. There were evaluated the passion fruits harvested in the physiological state of early maturing, healthy and without external defects or injury. We developed the experiment and phytopathological identification between April and May/2014. Eight fruits were packed in trays (not packaged with plastic wrap), and eight fruits in trays (packaged with plastic wrap). Assessments occurred at intervals of seven days over a period of 21 days. The experimental design was completely randomized, containing split plot and three repetitions. We evaluated the fresh weight of the fruit, peel and pulp, roughness of bark and incidence of diseases, total acidity, soluble solids and pH. Fruit physical quality was assessed according to the loss of fresh biomass and pulp. The passion fruit packaged presents less rough 15 days after the harvest and better fresh weight of soluble solids and pulp. Higher occurrence of fungi and bacteria occurred in the passion fruit packed. The passion fruit unpackaged gradually reduce the sugar content and acidity, as well as the fresh weight of fruits and pulp, within 15 days after harvest.