Handling Of Fruits Research Articles

The Quality of Freeze-Dried and Rehydrated Blueberries Depending on their Size and Preparation for Freeze-Drying

Abstract A significant increase in highbush blueberry plantings has been observed annually. However, there is a problem with the handling of fruit that does not meet the requirements for dessert berries. One of the methods to use the fruit is drying. The research was conducted in the Department of Horticulture at the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin. The fruit was harvested at a plantation specialising in the production of highbush blueberry from irrigated and non-irrigated plots. This study aimed to assess how cutting or pricking highbush blueberry fruit affects the duration of the sublimation drying process – freeze-drying. The biological value of fresh, freeze-dried, and rehydrated fruit was assessed. The amount of fruit left on bushes depended on the weather prevailing in the growing season, especially during the harvest period. The mass of fruit left on the bushes was approx. 1 to 2 t/ha. Although these fruits were small, they had a very high biological value. After freeze-drying and rehydration, the blueberry fruit retained their colour, high content of polyphenols and showed high antidiabetic activity and antioxidant capacity. The large fruit reached the moisture content of approx. 12%, which ensures safe storage and the appropriate texture, after 46 hours of drying, and the smaller fruit - after 32 hours. Fruit cutting or pricking reduced the drying time by half. Reducing this time decreased drying costs and increased biological value.

Optimisation of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity extraction conditions of a roasted mix of Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schumach & Thonn.) and Aframomum citratum (C. Pereira) fruits using response surface methodology (RSM)

The therapeutic abilities of Tetrapleura tetraptera and Aframomum citratum fruits used as spices are attributed to their bioactive molecules, including polyphenols. Sometimes used together and heated, they can undergo denaturation. The aim of the current study is to optimize the extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant potential of a roasted mix of Tetrapleura tetraptera and Aframomum citratum (95/5: w/w) fruits using RSM in a home food consumption context. The mix of spices was chosen according to the highest content of TPP and preliminary studies were performed to select the influencing variables. Roasting temperatures (130–170 °C), roasting times (10–15 min) and brewing times (8–15 min) were investigated with a rotatable central composite design. Experimental results were fitted to the second-order polynomial model where multiple regressions and ANOVA were used to determine the coefficients of the model and the optimal conditions for the considered responses. The two spices are good sources of phenolic compounds, and they also show significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent radical scavenging activities (DPPH assay and inhibition of β-carotene discoloration) and reductive activities (FRAP assay and Phosphomolybdenum method). They significantly inhibit bovine serum albumin and 5-LOX denaturation. Brewing time and roasting time significantly (p < 0.05) influence the responses and there is a strong (R2 = 0.93) correlation between the TPP and TAC of the beverage. The quadratic model fit well and the different factors used to test its accuracy and fitness were in satisfactory ranges. For TPP extraction (38.90 mgGAE/g dw) and TAC (50.75 mg TE/g dw) expression, the optimal conditions were reached at a roasting temperature of 150 °C, roasting time of 12.62 min, brewing time of 11.91 min and a desirability of 0.95. The novel information on the optimisation of the process can be further used by scientists, consumers and herbalists for effective handling of fruits during the extraction process.

Extending Post-Harvest Quality of Fresh Fig (Ficus carica L.) Fruit through Manipulation of Pre- and Post-Harvest Practices: A Review

Fresh fig fruit has a very unique taste. However, it is well-known as very perishable climacteric fruit. The various factors that involve during the pre-harvest and post-harvest handling processes have caused great challenges to farmer in maintaining the keeping quality of fresh fruits. The key factors involve are disease, water supply, fertilizer management, fruit maturity at harvest as well as post-harvest handling. Thus, good pre- and post-harvest practices are very important in improving the storage quality of fresh fig fruit. In this article, the studies on improving the storage life of fig fruit including the practices used during pre- and post-harvest handling of fig fruit were reviewed. For pre-harvest practices, deficit irrigation, application of plant growth regulator (1 methylcyclopropene) and pollination were applied to improve the quality of fresh fig fruit. For post-harvest treatments, coating, modified atmosphere packaging and optimizing the storage temperature and relative humidity were used in keeping the post-harvest quality of fresh fig fruit.

Characterisation of physical, mechanical and colour properties of Muntingia calabura fruits

Physical, mechanical and colour properties are necessary parameters in the handling and processing of Muntingia calabura fruits. The study aimed to form physical, mechanical and colour database for Muntingia calabura fruits. Results of the study found that the polar and equatorial diameter ranged from 14.30±0.99 mm and 15.51±0.98 mm, respectively. The weight and the volume were 2.49±0.39 g and 1.12±0.21 cm3, respectively. The particle density, bulk density and porosity ranged 0.97±0,10 g/cm3, 0.57±0.03 gr/cm3 and 40.90±6.59% respectively. The average skin strength and elasticity of the average moisture content of 80.79 ± 0.50 % were 309.60±80.89 g-forces and 38.83±1.63 mm, respectively. The angle of repose on the surface of the acrylic, aluminium, stainless steel and plywood was 23.45±5.390, 24.20±4.770, 25.66±5.000 and 25.93±7.850 respectively with the static friction of 0.44±0.12, 0.45±0.10, 0.49±0.11, and 0.50±0.17 respectively. The coordinate CIE L*a*b* c* and h* of the average colour of samples was 44.914±5.011, 30.274±4.055, 10.460±2.787, 32.288±2.722 and 0.008±0.004.

Storage behavior of Nagpur mandarin fruits as affected by post-harvest application of plant leaf extracts under cold storage condition

Use of plant leaf extracts could be a useful alternative in post-harvest handling and storage of Nagpur mandarin fruits. The experiment was conducted at Post Harvest Technology Laboratory, Department of Fruit Science, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, and Akola with the objective to access the efficacy of extracts obtained from leaves of four plants (Neem, Tulsi, Custard apple and Guava) on the extension of shelf life of Nagpur mandarin fruits obtained mainly from Mrig bahar. Fruits of Nagpur mandarin are available up to March - April and after that there is unavailability of fruits up to September. So by increasing shelf life of fruits one can get fulfill the demand and also farmers get benefited by getting extra rates to their produce. The fruits were treated with 20 % leaf extracts and guargum used as sticking material. The fruits coated with Neem leaf extract in combination of cold storage gave encouraging results up to the end of the storage period. There was minimum physiological loss in weight (5.55%), maximum total soluble solids (14.08 o Brix), maximum retention of acidity (0.26%), maximum ascorbic acid content (36.70 mg/100 ml), maximum total sugars (9.25%), reducing sugar (5.23%) and best organoleptic score (8.39) up to 45 days and it decrease after 45 days of storage followed by Tulsi leaf extract coating. This inhibitory effect of Neem leaf extract was recorded due to presence of active principle compound azadiractin.

A New Wireless Device for Real-Time Mechanical Impact Evaluation in a Citrus Packing Line

Abstract. Postharvest handling of fresh fruit is a potential source of bruising and damage, with significant consequences for fruit quality and marketability. In the last 30 years, different types of impact-recording devices (also called electronic fruits or pseudo-fruits) have been developed with the aim of measuring the impacts experienced by fruits during postharvest operations. The aim of this study was to develop and test a novel wireless instrumented sphere to study the critical points in a citrus packing line by measuring the impacts experienced by fruits in real-time. The non-commercial device was based on a MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) sensor node with a sensing range from ±1×g to ±400×g (g = 9.8 m s-2), a ferroelectric RAM (FRAM) memory, a radio frequency (RF) transmitter, a microcontroller, and a 75 mAh lithium battery. The sensor node was placed inside a plastic ellipsoid case with a total weight of 100 g to represent a ‘Tardivo di Ciaculli’ mandarin. An FR receiver allowed real-time transmission of the measured data. Tests were performed in the Consorzio del Mandarino Tardivo di Ciaculli packing line (Palermo, Italy). Total acceleration values, representing the stresses experienced by fruit in the packing line, were studied using a variance component model. The results showed that total acceleration remained below 20×g in most of the measurements, but considerably higher values, up to 80×g, were obtained between the brushing and waxing machines. In particular, waxing was identified as the most critical operation based on the impact transmitted to the fruit. Our system proved to be effective for immediate on-line assessment of the accelerations experienced by fruits, allowing prompt intervention to guarantee fruit quality in postharvest operations.HighlightsA novel, wirelessly instrumented sphere was developed and tested to study the critical points in a fruit packing line.The total acceleration experienced by the fruits was studied using a variance component model.The system was proven effective in online assessment of the accelerations experienced by fruits. Keywords: Acceleration, Damage, Instrumented sphere, Mandarin, Postharvest.

Hormonal and transcriptional analyses of fruit development and ripening in different varieties of black pepper (Piper nigrum).

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is one of the most popular and oldest spices in the world with culinary uses and various pharmacological properties. In order to satisfy the growing worldwide demand for black pepper, improved productivity of pepper is highly desirable. A primary constraint in black pepper production is the non-synchronous nature of flower development and non-uniform fruit ripening within a spike. The uneven ripening of pepper berries results in a high labour requirement for selective harvesting contributes to low productivity and affects the quality of the pepper products. In Malaysia, there are a few recommended varieties for black pepper planting, each having some limitations in addition to the useful characteristics. Therefore, a comparative study of different black pepper varieties will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms regulates fruit development and ripening. Plant hormones are known to influence the fruit development process and their roles in black pepper flower and fruit development were inferred based on the probe-based gene expression analysis and the quantification of the multiple plant hormones using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). In this study, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid were found to play roles in flowering and fruit setting, whereas auxin, gibberellin and cytokinins are important for fruit growth. Abscisic acid has positive role in fruit maturation and ripening in the development process. Distinct pattern of plant hormones related gene expression profiles with the hormones accumulation profiles suggested a complex network of regulation is involved in the signaling process and crosstalk between plant hormones was another layer of regulation in the black pepper fruit development mechanisms. The current study provides clues to help in elucidating the timing of the action of each specific plant hormone during fruit development and ripening which could be applied to enhance our ability to control the ripening process, leading to improving procedures for the production and post-harvest handling of pepper fruits.

Isolation and Identification of Fungal Pathogen Associated with Post Harvest Deterioration of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Fruits in Three Selected Markets in Jos, Nigeria

Aim: This study was carried out to isolate, identify and characterize fungal pathogens associated with post-harvest spoilage of cucumber.&#x0D; Study Design: This research study was done using random sampling technique. &#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out from March to June, 2019 at biology laboratory Federal College of Forestry, Jos.&#x0D; Methodology: Fungi isolates were obtained from diseased portions of the cucumber fruit samples cultured on PDA media and incubated at 28ºC2 for seven days. The mycelial were identified macroscopically and microscopically. Pathogenicity tests were conducted for all the fungal pathogens identified by inoculating healthy cucumber samples and incubating for ten days with the readings being taken at two day intervals. The data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA and means were separated using LSD at P ≤ 0.05.&#x0D; Results: Aspergillus fumigatus, Fusarium sp., Geotrichum candidum and Yeast sp were isolated and identified. Result showed that Gada biu market was the most heavily infested location with all the fungal isolates. Geotrichum candidum constituted the highest (50%) occurrence of fungal isolates from all locations. All the fungal isolates were found to be pathogenic on cucumber fruits, with Fusarium being the most destructive, followed by yeast and Geotrichum candidum and the least was Aspergilus fumigatus.&#x0D; Conclusion: The results obtained in this study showed the isolates identified were involved in Cucumber spoilage. Therefore, Careful handling of Cucumber fruits should be ensured to prevent the spread of these pathogenic fungi.

Kinetics analysis of the effect of storage room temperature and packaging films characteristics on the rate of change of Sugar Palm Fruit (Arenga pinata) quality in A Modified Atmospheric Packaging (MAP)

Sugar palm fruit is a tropical fresh product which derived from sugar palm plants. Handling and storage of sugar palm fruit is still in the traditional way, and it creates difficulties for broader marketing. Storage air temperature and film packaging greatly affects to various factors of the fresh products damage that can be represented by the change in respiration rate of those produtcs. The aim of this study was to study the effect of storage temperature and plastic film characteristics on the change of the respiration rate of sugar palm fruit during storage period in the MAP. Several treatment combinations including storage temperature and plastic film thickness were investigated in the research. It was found that storage temperature had stronger effect on the respiration rate of sugar palm fruit as compared to the effect of packaging film thickness. The higher storage temperature the longer would the time to reach constant O2 and resulted in the higher respiration rate. Statistical analysis indicated that storage temperature, packaging film thickness, and the interaction of those two factors were significantly affect the respiration rate of the fruit. Arrhenius kinetics could explain the effect of storage temperature on respiration rate of sugar palm fruit.

Harvest and Postharvest Factors Affecting Bruise Damage of Fresh Fruits

Fresh fruits are susceptible to bruising, a common type of mechanical damage during harvest and at all stages of postharvest handling. In quest of developing and adoption of strategies to reduce bruise damage, it is of utmost importance to understand major factors influencing bruise susceptibility of fresh produce at these stages. This review presents a critical discussion of factors affecting bruising during harvest and postharvest handling of fresh fruits. Excessive compression forces during harvesting by handpicking or machines, and a series of impacts during harvesting, transport and packhouse operations can cause severe bruise damage. The review has further revealed that bruising is dependent on a number of other factors such as produce maturity, ripening, harvest time (during the day or season) and time lapse after harvest. The susceptibility to bruising is partly dependent on how these factors alter the produce physiological and biochemical properties, and the environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and several other postharvest treatments. Hence, the successful applications of harvesting techniques by use of trained personnel and proper harvesting equipment are essential to reduce both the incidence and severity of bruising. Furthermore, the careful selection of postharvest handling temperature and other treatments can increase resistance of fresh produce to bruise damage.

Combination of ultrasound and ultraviolet‐C irradiation on kinetics of color, firmness, weight loss, and total phenolic content changes in tomatoes during storage

A kinetic study was conducted to account for the changes occurring in color, firmness, weight loss, and total phenolic content of tomatoes subjected to combined ultrasound technology (40 kHz, 13.78 W/L) and ultraviolet-C radiation (639.37 µw/cm2) treatment for 28 min. Combined treatment delayed ripening, increased firmness, weight loss, and induced total phenolic content retention of tomatoes compared to untreated samples. The change in color parameters of hue angle and chroma was described using the fractional conversion and zero-order models, respectively. Fractional conversion kinetic model was also found suitable for firmness degradation, while the zero-order and first-order models were appropriate for change in weight loss and total phenolic content retention prediction, respectively. Activation energy for measured parameters ranged from 121.29 to 199.70 kJ/mol at a temperature range of 33.76–37.12ºC, and showed highest sensitivity to treatment temperature in reduced ranking for firmness degradation, weight loss, total phenolic content retention, hue angle, and chroma. Practical applications The research provides a new method for postharvest handling of fruits and vegetables. The method utilizes ultrasound technology and ultraviolet-C radiation in combination and finds potential application in industries for shelf life extension during the storage, processing, and supply chain management of fruits and vegetables. However, the method may result in undesirable changes like weight loss, physical softening, or bioactive content degradation. Optimized parameters of the method are essential for loss minimizations and cost-effective practical applications. A thorough understanding of the influence of temperature of the system, treatment time, ultrasound acoustic energy density, and ultraviolet-C dosage on the quality properties of tomatoes and their change kinetics through fundamental approach modeling as presented in this research, is a step toward optimization of the technology.

Quality perception throughout the apple fruit chain

Quality is considered as the main attribute for differentiating food products and/or food services. The objective of this study was to examine how different actors in the apple fruit chain perceive quality. This research included perception of quality evaluated by 38 orchards, cold storages, and retailers and 287 consumers, using two methods. Direction from the orchard to the consumer covered 'customer–supplier' method analyzing their viewpoints in different stages of the fruit chain. Backwards, from the consumers to the orchards, method employed was quality function deployment. Orchard–cold storage comparison highlighted that orchards recognize apple cultivar and yield as the most important quality attributes while cold storages focus on handling of fruit and share of first-class apples. Quality aspects important in the cold storages–retailers evaluation emphasize type of cold storage and presence of fruit defects compared to apple cultivar and ratio between quality and price. Retailer–consumer comparison showed that retailers focus on packaging and ratio between quality and price while consumers beside fruit price focus on assortment and product placement at point of sale. Quality function deployment displayed transformation of quality attributes from juiciness (consumer), advising at point of sale (retailer), apple cultivar (cold storage), to production systems at apple orchards. The results suggest that there are different views on quality by all actors in the apple fruit chain from internal quality parameter such as juiciness to production systems employed at orchards.

Demonstration of Technologies and Training of Growers for Handling and Value Addition of Fruits and Vegetables in Gilgit-Baltistan

Demonstration of Technologies and Training of Growers for Handling and Value Addition of Fruits and Vegetables in Gilgit-Baltistan

Does seed ingestion by bats enhance germination? A new meta‐analysis 15 years later

Abstract The seed dispersal cycle forms the basis of vegetation establishment and population dynamics. Evidence shows varied results for the role of frugivorous bats, where ingestion and gut passage enhance seed germination for some plant species, but not for others. Using meta‐analysis techniques with a novel data base spanning 31 years of study, we answered the following questions: (1) does seed passage through bat digestive tracts result in higher probability of seed germination than seed pulp removal by humans? (2) Are there effects of seed origin, germination conditions, bat species, and plant species on the probability of seed germination? (3) Is there an effect of fruit bat dietary preferences on the probability of ingested seed germination? And (4) does seed ingestion by bats result in shorter germination time than seed pulp removal by humans? In general, seed passage through bat digestive tracts neither significantly increased the probability of germination nor reduced seed germination time. However, seed germination varied mainly with plant species and bat species, and fewer than 25% of plant species responded to bat gut passage in a positive or negative way. Plant species that were preferred by a species of bat were more likely to germinate after ingestion than non‐preferred plant species, in line with the core plant taxa hypothesis. These results suggest that: (1) the principal role of frugivorous bats in seed dispersal is to transport seeds away from parent plants, (2) handling of fruit by bats does not enhance or hinder seed germination, and (3) germination of the seeds of fruits consumed by bats is idiosyncratic to the bat and plant species in question.

Effects of climatic conditions during harvest and handling on the postharvest expression of red drupelet reversion in blackberries

Red drupelet reversion (RDR) causes individual drupelets on blackberries to revert from black at harvest to a red colour postharvest, reducing the quality and marketability of fruit. The objective of this trial was to assess the effects of time of harvest and associated climatic variables, as well as handling of fruit during harvest, on postharvest RDR expression and fruit quality. Fruit were harvested on ten occasions over two days by one of two methods: either hand-harvested into shallow buckets and transferred to industry standard 125 g clamshell punnets (standard practice) or harvested carefully without handling by cutting the pedicel and placing each fruit into individual cotton wool-lined trays. The number of partially red (PR) and fully red (FR) drupelets per fruit was counted, firmness was measured by compression, and skin firmness measured by a penetrometer. Air and fruit skin temperature, relative humidity, vapour pressure deficit, and soil water tension were all influenced by the time of day. 85% of fruit that was handled during harvest had at least one drupelet develop RDR, whilst only 6% of fruit not handled during harvest had any RDR. In handled fruit, warmer skin temperature at harvest was associated with increased RDR incidence and severity (P < 0.001). The skin firmness of fully black (FB) drupelets, measured by a penetrometer, also decreased significantly by an average of 0.56 N when harvested during warmer temperatures compared to fruit that was not handled. The data indicate that mechanical injury incurred during harvest is a major cause of RDR in fresh blackberries, and that harvest times associated with warmer temperatures result in significantly higher rates of RDR and reduced postharvest quality.

Mathematical modeling of hydrodynamic properties of lime (Mexican lime)

AbstractGrading and hydraulic handling of fruits and vegetables are important subjects of study in industries to maintain their quality and reduce their losses. It is thus essential to have knowledge of hydrodynamic properties of agricultural products for sorting, grading, washing, packaging, and storage purposes. This study first determined the physical properties (i.e., mass, density, volume and shape coefficient) influencing terminal and other hydrodynamic properties of Mexican lime (locally known as Jahromi lime). Then, a water column and a video camera were used to measure the terminal velocity and falling time of the samples. The effect of physical properties determined, and the difference between water and lime densities on the hydraulic properties were analyzed in MATLAB. The results show that Mexican lime samples reached their terminal velocity in 2.5 s when the terminal velocity and the falling time were 0.08 m/s and 6.5 s, respectively. The water–lime density difference, volume, and the sample mass had the significant effect (p &lt; 0.05) on the terminal velocity and falling time. However, the shape coefficient had no significant effect.Practical applicationsFruits with different densities fall to different depths at a given time, and a properly situated separator can be used for grading them. This research prospect the use of Mexican lime terminal velocity as a parameter for density‐based hydraulic grading to be used in the design and development processes of fruit sorting and grading systems, and regression equations of sample movement were fitted based on their physical properties to find the best model.

Investigating the role of geometrical configurations of ventilated fresh produce packaging to improve the mechanical strength – Experimental and numerical approaches

Abstract Ventilated paperboard packaging (VCP) is utilised particularly in the fresh fruit industry for handling, storage and distribution of fruit. These packages require venting to maintain adequate cooling within the package, however, the presence and configuration of the ventilation openings could compromise its strength. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of ventilated packages by considering the influence of different geometrical configurations of vents. The compression strength of four package designs, each for three vent area (2%, 4%, and 8%) and three corrugated paperboard grade (B-, C- and BC-flute boards) were quantified experimentally and results were compared with finite element simulations. A negative and almost linear relationship was found between compression strength and vent area. Packages with BC-flute and B-flute board grade had the greatest and lowest compression strength, respectively, with percentage reduction as high as 72% for 2% vent area, 65% for 4% vent area and 67% for 8% vent area. The study also demonstrated that the functionality of package vent hole design is tied strongly to the properties of the chosen board grade. The Edge and Standard vent package designs performed best compared to the Alt and Multi vent package designs. Numerical results and experimental results were in good agreement, within 10%. The width side of the package was more resistant to buckling while buckling originated from the centre of the length side of the package. From the contact FEA model, irrespective of the package design, maximum stress was observed to be concentrated at the corners of the package.

Interindividual variations in plant and fruit traits affect the structure of a plant-frugivore network

Frugivores select their food in a hierarchical way, from plants to individual fruits, to meet their nutritional requirements. According to the optimal diet theory, finding, handling, and digesting fruits is costly, thus plant species that increase attractiveness and reward are usually preferred by frugivores. The same should be expected for individual plants of the same population, which differ from one another in traits related to frugivore attraction. We tested the hypothesis that plant traits that increase attractiveness and reward to frugivores would be strongly selected by birds in a population of Henriettea succosa (Melastomataceae). In 20 h of focal observation in 19 individual trees (380 h in total), we measured plant and fruit traits known to influence frugivore attraction and reward: plant height, fruit size, and fruit sugar content. In addition, we recorded bird behaviour during fruit consumption. We built two weighted networks of birds and individual plants: one monolayer network and a multilayer network with four layers, one for each type of behaviour. First, we evaluated three weighted descriptors of network structure: nestedness, modularity, and specialization. Then, we calculated metrics of centrality and correlated them with plant traits. We recorded 271 visits by 22 bird species of eight families. The network is modular and specialized, showing that subgroups of H. succosa trees with different trait combinations attract different subsets of bird species, in a way that specialist trees are not connected to a subset of the bird species that visit generalist trees. We also found that centrality metrics reached higher scores in plants with lower height, larger fruits, and intermediate sucrose content. Fruit handling was the predominant foraging behaviour in the multilayer network and represented 90 percent of the interactions. Downscaling a plant-frugivore network to its individual trees showed that the structure of the system is influenced by interindividual variations in the tree population, in which individuals with the best combination of traits occupied central positions in the network.

Chilling tolerance of Micro-Tom fruit involves changes in the primary metabolite levels and in the stress response

Prevention of post-harvest fruit losses is important to increase food availability. In the case of tomato, postharvest storage at low temperature and the subsequent handling and distribution of fruit is limited by chilling injury, a physiological disorder that causes failure to normally ripen and increased decay disease. Micro-Tom fruit, a dwarf tomato variety, is relatively tolerant to cold storage (4 °C for 4 weeks). To understand the tolerance mechanism of Micro-Tom fruit at the molecular level, its transcriptome and metabolome were evaluated before, after chilling storage, and shortly after transferring the fruit to ambient temperature to focus on the critical early events accounting chilling tolerance. Changes in gene expression and metabolic profiles indicate metabolic adaptation (fermentation, amino acid mobilization and photosynthesis recovery after cold storage) and induction of defense mechanisms (biotic and abiotic stress, and redox metabolism) that can be related with Micro-Tom tolerance to postharvest chilling injury. The current research extends the understanding of the mechanisms involved in chilling tolerance and provides tools for developing new technologies and varieties.

The characteristics of Aloe vera gel as an edible coating

Preserving fruits using edible coating already long known. The edible coating serves to improve the appearance, as gas exchange barrier, retain moisture, antimicrobial and extend shelf life. The edible coating is widely used because it does not harm human health, can be eaten and biodegradable. One of the natural ingredients potentially as an edible coating is Aloe Vera leaf gel containing compounds such as polysaccharides, glucomannan, sugar reduction, tannins, organic acids, minerals, proteins. But the weakness is the gel that easily becomes diluted. The purpose of this research is to find out the best characteristics of Aloe vera gel as an edible coating that can be applied at the post-harvest handling of fruits. This study used a randomized complete design. From the results obtained that the gel is stored at cool temperatures are relatively stable, as seen from variable weights and water levels. The gel is stored at room temperature a little decline. The longer it is stored at room temperature, the moisture content of Aloe Vera gel. The gel is stored at cool temperatures increasing pH up to day 5 after it declined again. While the gel is stored at room temperature that is relatively stable at pH range 2.