Post-harvest quality evaluation of physico-chemical and chemical characteristics in umbu fruit at different storage conditionsEvaluación de la calidad postcosecha de las características físico-químicas y químicas en el fruto de umbu a diferentes condiciones de almacenmiento

Abstract

Umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arruda Câmara) fruit was analyzed for its physical, physico-chemical, and chemical characteristics at two stages of its physiological maturity (half-ripe and ripe). Half-ripe fruit was stored at different conditions: (1) ambient (27 ± 2 °C and 60–75% relative humidity) and (2) at refrigeration (9 ± 2 °C and 40–60% relative humidity) conditions. With the advance of maturation, the reducing sugars and soluble solids concentrations increased, while that of the titratable acidity and ascorbic acid contents decreased. The half-ripe fruits could be stored at refrigerated conditions for a longer period (10 days) when compared with the fruits stored at ambient conditions (only 6 days) without presenting any sign of senescence in the fruit. The higher index of °brix/acidity (6.81) in the fruits stored at refrigeration temperature for 10 days made these fruits much more appreciable from an organoleptic flavor standpoint when compared with fruits stored for only 6 days at ambient conditions.