Influência de sanitizantes na qualidade de mamão de safra e entressafra minimamente processado

Abstract

The growing demand for fresh and high quality horticultural products associated with the convenience aspects has led to the growth of the consumption of minimally processed products. Minimal processing alters the microbial flora of fruits providing optimal conditions of growth to the microorganisms. These characteristics may favor the fast deterioration of the product and in some cases offer risks to consumers' health. With a view to decreasing the initial microbial load and its.development in minimally processed papayas, the influence ofthe sanitation of the fruit with sodium hypochloride or hydrogen peroxide solutions was investigated. The papayas after peeled and removed the seeds were cut into cubes and sanitized with solutions of 100 ppm of sodium hypochloride and 0.5 or 1.0% hydrogen peroxide solutions. After sanitation the papaya cubes were conditioned into PET packages and stored at 10C for 4 or 6 days in the fali and crop seasons, respectively. It was found that the processing season was signifícant, the fali fruits being better, despite the shelflife period being reduced as compared with the crop fruits. The sanitation of papayas did not influence their physical-chemical characteristics (pH, total titrable acidity, total soluble solids and total soluble sugars), their alterations being hastened by the mechanical damages. The treatments made with hydrogen peroxide act negatively on the initial number offungi and yeasts, total coliforms lactic acid bactéria, mesophilic and psicotrophic aerobic microorganisms, they beingbetter than that ofsodium hypochloride. In the sensorial characteristics no influence of the treatments took place, storage time of the product being a crucial factor for the modiflcations ofthe trait.