Quality Of Pineapple Research Articles

Ozonation Treatment, Edible Coating Carrageenan, and Temperature Variation on The Quality of Fresh-Cut Pineapple During Storage

Fresh-cut pineapples are increasingly popular in Indonesia, but it damage easily due to contamination of pathogenic microorganisms, resulting in a short shelf life. This research aims to examine the effect of applying ozone and edible carrageenan coating on the quality of fresh-cut pineapple stored at low temperatures. The experiment used factorial completely randomized design. The first factor was concentration of carrageenan and the second factor was storage temperature. Based on the lowest TPC (total plate count) value from a preliminary research, the experiment was conducted with soaking time of 60 s. Results showed that weight loss, hardness, and TDS values was respectively 2.24 %; 13.03 °Brix; 11.42 kgf, and tended to increase until the last day of storage. The best results was found at 2.5% carrageenan coating and 5 °C. Results from the organoleptic test, however, found the highest score of 4.41 was collected from 1.5% carrageenan coating and 5 °C. It can be concluded that the combination of soaking in ozonized water for 60 s, immersing the fruit in a 2.5% edible coating carrageenan solution stored at 5 °C can maintain the quality of the fruit and increase the shelf life of fresh-cut pineapple compared to controls that were not given any treatment. Keywords: Drying, Physical Quality, Temperature, Tomatoes, Tween 80.

Effects of fruit baggings as preharvest treatments on the fruit quality of pineapple ‘MD-2’

The demand for fresh pineapple fruit is currently highest for the MD2 pineapple variety. Continuous efforts are made to enhance the quality of MD2 pineapples, including the fruit skin colour, flesh colour, sweetness, and minimizing sunburn damage. Bagging is one of the pre-harvest methods that can be employed for this purpose. This research aims to find suitable bagging materials that meet the industry's criteria and assess the severity of sunburn in each bagging treatment. A completely randomized design was used in this study, with six different bagging materials and pineapples aged 80 Days After Forcing (DAF). The bagging materials used were the control, blue Polyethylene (PE) bag, white PE bag, black patent bag, paper bag, and the existing cap-shaped bagging technique using recycled paper from banana bagging, as utilized by PT. Great Giant Pineapple. Each treatment involved 120 pineapple samples harvested at 140 DAF. MD2 pineapples without bagging were found to provide the best results according to PT. Great Giant Pineapple's criteria, with green skin colour (1.35%) and uniform yellow flesh (85.62%).

Analysis Of The Use Of White Sweet Potato Flour On The Quality Of Pineapple

Nastar is a semicircular round pastry with a diameter of 2 cm, made from a dough of wheat flour, butter, and eggs with pineapple jam filling. White sweet potatoes are more directed to the development of flour and starch because the color of the flour produced is more like wheat germ, and brightly colored sweet potatoes tend to have better starch levels. So that white sweet potato flour can be used in making nastar. This study aims to analyze the effect of using white sweet potato flour as much as 15%, 30%, and 45% on the quality of the shape, color, aroma, texture and taste of pineapple produced. This type of research is a pure experiment with the Complete Randomized Design method. The data used were primary data obtained directly from 3 expert panelists by filling in the organoleptic test format on the quality of pineapple with the influence of the use of white sweet potato flour. The data obtained is then tabulated in tabular form and carried out Variance Analysis (ANAVA), if Fh>Ft then continued with the Duncan Test. The results showed that there was a significant influence of the use of 15%, 30%, and 45% white sweet potato flour on the quality of color (golden yellow at the top and brownish yellow at the bottom), aroma (fragrant), and nastar taste (sweet taste and distinctive taste of sweet potatoes). The best result of the pineapple quality test with the use of white sweet potato flour is 15%.

Nondestructive Detecting Maturity of Pineapples Based on Visible and Near-Infrared Transmittance Spectroscopy Coupled with Machine Learning Methodologies

Pineapple is mainly grown in tropical regions and consumed fresh worldwide due to its attractive flavor and health benefits. With increasing global production and trade volume, there is an urgent need for nondestructive techniques for accurate and efficient detection of the internal quality of pineapples. Therefore, this study is dedicated to developing a nondestructive method for real-time determining the internal quality of pineapples by using VIS/NIR transmittance spectroscopy technique and machine learning methodologies. The VIS/NIR transmittance spectrums ranging in 400–1100 nm of total 195 pineapples were collected from a dynamic experimental platform. The maturity grade and soluble solids content (SSC) of individual pineapples were then measured as indicators of internal quality. The qualitative model for discriminating maturity grades of pineapple achieved a high accuracy of 90.8% by the PLSDA model for unknown samples. Meanwhile, the quantitative model for determining SSC also reached a determination coefficient (RP2) of 0.7596 and a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.7879 °Brix by the ANN-PLS model. Overall, high model performance demonstrated that using VIS/NIR transmittance spectroscopy technique coupled with machine learning methodologies could be a feasible method for nondestructive and real-time detection of the internal quality of pineapples.

Effect of sustained-release tea tree essential oil solid preservative on fresh-cut pineapple storage quality in modified atmospheres packaging.

The quality and safety of fresh-cut pineapple deteriorate during handling and storage due to physicochemical and microbial changes, so its preservation has attracted extensive attention. This study prepared sustained-release tea tree essential oil (TTO) solid preservative (SP) with an encapsulation efficiency of 71.45% and applied it on fresh-cut pineapple in modified atmospheres packaging (MAP). Results showed that TTO adsorbed on nano silicon dioxide (SiO2) was embedded in the starch-carboxymethyl cellulose network structure by extrusion. The hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction resulted in compact structure and good sustained-release performance of SP. The SP improved sensory quality and reduced nutrient loss and microbial spoilage of fresh-cut pineapple, which extended its shelf-life to four days. In addition, antioxidant capacity was enhanced with increasing antioxidant enzyme activity, antioxidant content, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine scavenging capacity and decreasing MDA accumulation. Therefore, sustained-release TTO solid preservative has potential for the preservation of fresh-cut pineapple.

The influence of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration as a pre-treatment method on the quality of vacuum dried pineapple

This study investigated the effect of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (UAOD) as a pre-treatment before vacuum drying on the drying time, quality, and microstructure of pineapple. At first, the best conditions for water desorption during osmotic dehydration (OD) were optimized. Pineapple cubes were subjected to OD at different osmotic solution concentrations (30, 40, and 60°Brix), pre-treatment time (0.5 and 1 hr), and temperature (35ºC) using two types of osmotic agents (sucrose and fructose). According to the results, sucrose was the best osmotic agent because it reduced the sample's moisture content and water activity. Secondly, the influence of UAOD on sugar gain, water loss, and drying time was evaluated using sucrose as an osmotic agent. Pineapple cubes were subjected to UAOD at different osmotic solution concentrations (30 and 60°Brix), pre-treatment time (10, 20, and 30 mint), and temperature (40 ºC) in an ultrasonic bath (ultrasound frequency of 40 kHz and ultrasound power of 300 W). Results exhibited that the application of UAOD increased the sugar gain and water loss, consequently decreasing the drying time. Overall, a 15.31 % reduction in vacuum drying time on a self-designed vacuum dryer and a 9 % reduction in total processing time were observed when UAOD (30 ºBrix) was applied for 20 min. Moreover, the influence of UAOD on the quality of dried pineapple in terms of rehydration ratio, firmness, and color change was also determined. Results showed that the pre-treatment with UAOD (30 ºBrix) of 20 min provided a better rehydration ability, with minimum change in color and textural properties. However, an increase in the pre-treatment time beyond 20 min diminished the rehydration ability of the dried product. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of pretreated and dried pineapples were also analyzed to determine the effect of pre-treatments applied for different lengths of time on the microstructure of the pineapple. The study's results suggested that applying UAOD as a pre-treatment considerably reduced the processing time and better retention of the pineapple properties.

Effect of Composite Edible Coatings Combined with Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Storage Quality and Microbiological Properties of Fresh-Cut Pineapple

This study investigated the effect of edible coating (EC), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and edible coating + modified atmosphere packaging (EC + MAP) treatments on the quality of fresh-cut pineapples during storage at 4 °C. The quality differences were analyzed by measuring the quality, physiological indicators, and total microbial counts. After 8 d of storage, the brightness (L*) values of the EC + MAP and control samples were 72.76 and 60.83, respectively. The water loss and respiratory rate of the EC + MAP were significantly inhibited from 0% and 29.33 mg CO2 kg-1 h-1 to 4.13% and 43.84 mg CO2 kg-1 h-1, respectively. Furthermore, the fresh-cut pineapples treated with EC + MAP presented a good appearance, with lower total soluble solids (TSS) and relative conductivity and higher titratable acid (TA), ascorbic acid (AA), total phenol content, and firmness compared to the other treatment groups. At the end of storage, the EC + MAP samples exhibited the lowest polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, peroxidase (POD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content at 28.53 U, 60.37 U, and 1.47 nmol·g-1, respectively. Furthermore, the efficiency of EC + MAP treatment exceeded that of EC or MAP alone, preventing key problems involving the surface browning and microbiological safety of the fresh-cut pineapples. The results showed that EC + MAP treatment was more successful in maintaining the storage quality and extending the shelf life of fresh-cut pineapples.

Impact of exogenous pre and postharvest salicylic acid applications on MD2 pineapple quality

Salicylic acid (SA) is a natural plant compound that has been proven to enhance the quality of fruits; therefore, its impact on pineapple should be further studied, especially in the most marketable hybrids. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SA treatments on MD2 pineapple quality. The experiment consisted of two parts with applications pre and postharvest following the next treatments, control: No use of SA, and 5, 7 and 9 mM of SA. The total soluble solids, total acidity, ascorbic acid content, respiration rate, together with the severity and incidence of internal browning and flesh translucency were determined, after 40 days of cold storage. The treatment using 9 mM of SA in pre and postharvest delivered the best results, having the most elevated ascorbic acid (526.75 mg kg-1) and total acidity (0.8%), the lowest severity and incidence outcomes of internal browning and flesh translucency (0% in both cases), with the most reduced respiration rate values during postharvest. In conclusion, SA treatments with concentrations of 9 mM applied in pre and postharvest on MD2 pineapple can improve its quality after 40 days of cold storage.

Quality Characteristics of Honey Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) with Minimally Processed Based on the Effect of Packaging Type

Fresh fruit that is minimally processed is susceptible to damage due to loss of natural protection, including honey pineapple. One storage technique that can minimize damage to minimally processed fruit is low temperature storage using plastic film packaging. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the type of packaging on changes in the quality of minimally processed fruit. Storage was carried out at 5˚C, 10˚C, and 27˚C. The types of packaging used are stretch film (SF) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) packaging. Quality changes observed included weight loss, moisture content, hardness, and total dissolved solids. The results showed that changes in the quality of honey pineapple during storage were influenced by temperature and type of packaging. LDPE packaging is not highly recommended for minimally processed honey pineapple packaging. Based on observations of weight loss, moisture content, hardness, and total dissolved solids, the best packaging for minimally processed honey pineapple storage is stretch film packaging stored at 10˚C.

Geothermal food dehydrator system, operation and sensory analysis, and dehydrated pineapple quality.

Food dehydration is a preservation technique that guarantees its supply. Food like vegetables and fruits are traditionally dehydrated with natural gas or solar energy, however, this work demonstrates the feasibility of doing it with energy from a geothermal power plant in Nayarit, Mexico. Different species of pineapple (Miel, Cayenne, and Esmeralda) were dehydrated at different temperatures from 64 to 80°C and the safety of the product was subsequently verified, for these aerobic mesophiles (<230 ufc/g), total coliforms (<0.3s.m.), molds and yeasts (<120 v.e.), and salmonella spp (Absent in 25 g), and results were obtained within the proposed specifications, which were generated taking as reference the national and international guidance standards. A sensory evaluation, a modified Flash Profile (mFP), was carried out with a group of judges trained in descriptive methodology, since a better consensus of responses was obtained, thus demonstrating the usability of mFP for food dehydration. The studies of pineapple allowed the evaluation of production with the DGA 200 technology, and the microbiological standards, as well as sensory and physicochemical parameters, were considering just to verify that product is suitable for human consumption. The technology is a system that takes advantage of the heat of the earth, with which it is possible to work 7 days a week or the entire pineapple season. Physicochemical changes caused by its dehydration with respect to the content of vitamin C, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber in the three species of dehydrated pineapple were measured. In the fresh samples, an average concentration of vitamin C 9mg/100 g, carbohydrates 11.6g sugar/100 g, and dietary fiber 0.96% were measured. The dehydrated samples presented an average value of vitamin C of 95 mg/100 g, carbohydrates 72.6g sugar/100 g, and dietary fiber 8.6%, these results were similar to Mühlbauer and Müller, 2020, Drying atlas, drying kinetics and quality of agricultural products, Elsevier.

Utilisation of Deep Learning with Multimodal Data Fusion for Determination of Pineapple Quality Using Thermal Imaging

Fruit quality is an important aspect in determining the consumer preference in the supply chain. Thermal imaging was used to determine different pineapple varieties according to the physicochemical changes of the fruit by means of the deep learning method. Deep learning has gained attention in fruit classification and recognition in unimodal processing. This paper proposes a multimodal data fusion framework for the determination of pineapple quality using deep learning methods based on the feature extraction acquired from thermal imaging. Feature extraction was selected from the thermal images that provided a correlation with the quality attributes of the fruit in developing the deep learning models. Three different types of deep learning architectures, including ResNet, VGG16, and InceptionV3, were built to develop the multimodal data fusion framework for the classification of pineapple varieties based on the concatenation of multiple features extracted by the robust networks. The multimodal data fusion coupled with powerful convolutional neural network architectures can remarkably distinguish different pineapple varieties. The proposed multimodal data fusion framework provides a reliable determination of fruit quality that can improve the recognition accuracy and the model performance up to 0.9687. The effectiveness of multimodal deep learning data fusion and thermal imaging has huge potential in monitoring the real-time determination of physicochemical changes of fruit.

THE EFFECT OF OZONATED WATER WASHING ON THE QUALITY OF HONEY PINEAPPLE PRESERVED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AND IN THE OZONE COLD STORAGE

&lt;p&gt;An attempt to maintain the quality and preservation of honey pineapple (&lt;em&gt;Ananas comosus&lt;/em&gt;) is required to avoid fruit loss and its nutritional values. This research aimed to determine the effect of washing with ozonated water and preservation in the cold storage on the quality of honey pineapple. The research was arranged in a completely randomized design with two factors consisting of washing water (ozonated water and non-ozonated water) and storage (ozone cold storage at 2–7 &lt;sup&gt;o&lt;/sup&gt;C and room temperature at 25–28 &lt;sup&gt;o&lt;/sup&gt;C). Honey pineapples were observed for 35 and 20 days in ozone cold storage and at room temperature, respectively. The results showed that ozonation reduced the total bacterial count. Washing with ozonated water did not affect the glucose content of honey pineapple stored at room temperature, but affected those in cold storage. On the other hand, ozonation affected both vitamin C content and weight loss of honey pineapple stored at room temperature and in cold storage. Ozone is able to control bacterial development in honey pineapple resulted in longer shelf life compared to those without ozonation.&lt;/p&gt;

Potential of Phosphorus Solubilizing Purple Nonsulfur Bacteria Isolated from Acid Sulfate Soil in Improving Soil Property, Nutrient Uptake, and Yield of Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merrill) under Acidic Stress

This study aimed to (i) evaluate purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) strains possessing the highest phosphorus (P) solubilizing capacity in field and (ii) determine the efficacy of PNSB biofertilizers in improving soil quality, P uptake, growth, and yield of pineapple cultivated in acid sulfate soil (ASS). A field experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with two factors, including the first factor as P fertilizer levels (0, 50, 75, and 100% P) based on recommended fertilizer formula (RFF) and the second factor as supplementation of biofertilizers containing P solubilizing PNSB (no inoculated PNSB, Rhodobacter sphaeroides W48, R. sphaeroides W42, and a mixture of R. sphaeroides W48 and W42). The results indicated that the supplementation of PNSB biofertilizers led to an increase of 25.3–33.9% in soluble P concentration in soil compared to control treatment. Among the selected PNSB strains, R. sphaeroides W42 and a mixture of the PNSB in biofertilizers solubilized all insoluble P fractions (Fe-P, Al-P, and Ca-P) and strain W48 in biofertilizers for Fe-P and Al-P. Furthermore, the supplementation of biofertilizers from R. sphaeroides W48 and W42 individually and their mixture raised plant height by 3.56–4.10% and available P concentration by 25.3–33.9%. Total P uptake in pineapple treatments with biofertilizers from mixed PNSB was 42.9% higher than that in the control treatment ( p &lt; 0.05 ). Application of mixed PNSB strains can reduce 25% P of chemical fertilizer, but the pineapple yield rose over 12.1%. Both R. sphaeroides W48 and W42 are potent for use as crop yield enhancers to obtain the sustainable pineapple cultivation under acidic stress.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Patterns of AcSWEET Family in Pineapple and AcSWEET11 Mediated Sugar Accumulation.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) is an important fruit crop in tropical regions, and it requires efficient sugar allocation during fruit development. Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs) are a group of novel sugar transporters which play critical roles in seed and fruit development. However, the function of AcSWEETs remains unknown in the sugar accumulation. Herein, 17 AcSWEETs were isolated and unevenly located in 11 chromosomes. Analysis of a phylogenetic tree indicated that 17 genes were classified into four clades, and the majority of AcSWEETs in each clade shared similar conserved motifs and gene structures. Tissue-specific gene expression showed that expression profiles of AcSWEETs displayed differences in different tissues and five AcSWEETs were strongly expressed during fruit development. AcSWEET11 was highly expressed in the stage of mature fruits in 'Tainong16' and 'Comte de paris', which indicates that AcSWEET11 was important to fruit development. Subcellular localization analysis showed that AcSWEET11 was located in the cell membrane. Notably, overexpression of AcSWEET11 could improve sugar accumulation in pineapple callus and transgenic tomato, which suggests that AcSWEET11 might positively contribute to sugar accumulation in pineapple fruit development. These results may provide insights to enhance sugar accumulation in fruit, thus improving pineapple quality in the future.

Improving Nitrogen Availability and Ananas comosus L. Merr var. Moris Productivity in a Tropical Peat Soil Using Clinoptilolite Zeolite

Pineapple cultivation in nitrogen deficient and acidic peat soils leads to poor growth, yield, and fruit quality of pineapples. A study was conducted to determine whether clinoptilolite zeolite (CZ) could improve soil nitrogen availability, growth, yield, and fruit quality of pineapples grown in drained peat soils. Laboratory leaching experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of CZ in controlling nitrogen loss from peat soils, whereas an ion-exchange resin method was used to determine nitrogen availability in pineapple cultivation. Treatments evaluated were: (i) different amounts of CZ (25, 50, 70, and 100%) + NPK fertilizer, (ii) NPK fertilizer, and (iii) peat soil only. The peat soils with CZ reduced ammonium and nitrate losses because of the sorption of ammonium within the lattices of the CZ via ion exchange. Co-application of CZ (25%) and NPK fertilizers was more effective in increasing soil ammonium availability, whereas the use of CZ (25% to 100%) improved nitrogen uptake and use efficiency, growth, yield, and fruit quality of pineapple because CZ could regulate the availability of nitrogen ions for pineapple uptake. The buffering capacity of CZ increased soil pH and facilitated organic nitrogen mineralization. The co-application of CZ and NPK fertilizers can be used to improve nitrogen availability and pineapple productivity in tropical peat soils.

Fruit collapse incidence and quality of pineapple as affected by biopesticides based on Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma harzianum

In this study the effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma harzianum based biopesticides on fruit collapse disease incidence and pineapple quality was investigated. The experiment was implemented in a split-plot design with two factors, one involving two inoculation methods (spray and inject), and a second factor involving four treatments, A (control: no biopesticides used), B (Bio P32 from 13 weeks before harvest), C (Bio T10 from 13 weeks before harvest) and D (Bio P32 + Bio T10 from 13 weeks before harvest). The inoculated pathogen was Dickeya zeae. The incidence of fruit collapse, total soluble solids, total acidity, sucrose, ascorbic acid, mineral content, and electrolyte leakage were determined. The inject method caused more fruit collapse incidence than the spray method. Treatments C and D provided the best results having a low incidence of fruit collapse (spray: 5 and 1.7 %, inject: 20 % in both cases), high antioxidant capacity (regarding ascorbic acid), high mineral nutrient content (in terms of Ca and Mg), and low electrolyte leakage content (&lt; 70 % in average), with a healthier cell wall characteristic. Meanwhile, treatments A and B were less efficient in these aspects and promoted the incidence of fruit collapse, especially when the inject method was used, as this was more harmful regarding the fruit physiology. In conclusion, the biopesticides employed can reduce the incidence of fruit collapse and positively affect the fruit quality.

Low voltage electrostatic field treatment of fresh-cut pineapples with slightly acidic electrolytic water: Influence on physicochemical changes and membrane stability

The synergistic impact of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW, pH 6.7; ACC 30 mg/L) and low voltage electrostatic field (LVEF, 150 V 1000 Hz) on the membrane stability and quality of fresh-cut pineapples during 12 d cold storage were investigated. The results show that LVEF+SAEW treatment decreased by 0.25–4.38% moisture loss compared with other groups, inhibited the decline in hardness and maintained good sensory quality. The oxidation and decomposition of ascorbic acid could be effectively suppressed, and the total phenol content was maintained at a high level by adjusting the phenol metabolic enzyme (such as PAL and PPO). The retardation of browning effectively suppressed the decrease of L* value. The LVEF+SAEW treatment weakened the breathing intensity cause by cutting injury, increased ROS clearance enzyme activity (such as SOD, CAT), and reduced the H2O2 content. The increase rate of ROS and LOX activity was inhibited, the final product MDA content of membrane lipid oxidation was decreased, which could maintain the stability of the membrane. SAEW pre-washing combined with LVEF storage could be used commercially as cost-effective method for extending the shelf-life of fresh-cut pineapples.

Effect of Pre-Harvest Foliar Calcium and Silicon Fertilization on Pineapple Quality and Fruit Collapse Incidence

Pineapple can be affected by fruit collapse, a disease caused by the bacterium Dickeya zeae. However, adequate fertilization can increase the fruit’s resistance to this illness. Therefore, the impact of preharvest foliar calcium and silicon fertilization on pineapple quality and fruit collapse incidence was assessed in this study. The experiment implemented a split-plot design with two factors. The first factor has two terms of inoculation (flower induction and before harvest). The second factor uses a control with three foliar fertilization treatments, A (control: No foliar fertilizers applied), B (Ca from 13 to 11 weeks before harvest/from 6 weeks to harvest), C (Si from 13 to 11 weeks before harvest/from 6 weeks to harvest), and D (Ca + Si from 13 to 11 weeks before harvest/from 6 weeks to harvest). Treatment D gave the best response. It had the lowest fruit collapse incidence (21.70%), highest ascorbic acid (71.64 mg/kg), elevated β-carotene (4.87 mg/kg) and mineral content (Ca: 1851.10 mg/kg, Si: 1164.87 mg/kg), essentially under the before harvest term of inoculation, which was more harmful for the fruit. In conclusion, mixed foliar calcium and silicon fertilization manage to improve the tolerance to fruit collapse incidence, impacting the pineapple quality positively

Comparison of Different Varieties on Quality Characteristics and Microbial Activity of Fresh-Cut Pineapple during Storage.

This study compared the quality and storage characteristics of four pineapple varieties to select those displaying adequate storage resistance and those suitable for freshly cut processing. Four varieties of pineapple, namely Tainong No.16, Tainong No.17, Tainong No.11, and Bali, were used to analyze the quality differences in freshly cut pineapple during storage by measuring the quality, physiological indicators, and total microbial count. The results indicated that the nutritional quality and storability of freshly cut pineapples differed significantly among the varieties. During refrigeration at 4 °C, Tainong No.11 and Bali displayed the shortest storage period of 4 d, while Tainong No.17 and Tainong No.16 presented storage periods of 5 d and 6 d, respectively. A sensory evaluation indicated that the Tainong No.16 variety was superior in terms of consumer preference, while the Bali slices were generally rated lower than the other cultivars. Additionally, the sensory properties, weight loss, firmness, and ascorbic acid (AA) content of Tainong No.16 changed the least during storage, with values of 60.75%, 6.48%, 75.15%, and 20.44%, respectively. Overall, the quality order of the four varieties of freshly cut pineapples during storage was: Tainong No.16 > Tainong No.17 > Tainong No.11 > Bali. Moreover, two-way ANOVA showed that the main effect of variety and storage time on the storage quality of fresh-cut pineapple was significant (p < 0.05). The interaction effect of variety and storage time on other quality characteristics of fresh-cut pineapple was significant (p < 0.05) except for Titratable acid (TA) and AA. In conclusion, Tainong No.16 displayed higher storage potential than the other varieties. The results of this work provide application possibilities to promote the successful processing of pineapple cultivars as freshly cut produce.

English

The need to improve the productivity and quality of pineapple produced to meet demand and supply with international standards necessitates exploring production potentials. So, assessing the technical efficiency of pineapple producers is essential to avoid waste of resources and above all to target advices for improving the productivity of the pineapple producers. Studies conducted on pineapple in Benin have paid less attention to the resource requirements and its determinants. This study estimated technical efficiencies of pineapple producers in Benin and identified some socio-economic factors which influence them. A random sampling was employed to select 253 producers in five districts of pineapple production in southern Benin. Stochastic frontier production function approach using a translog production function was used to estimate the technical efficiencies of pineapple producers, while the inefficiency model was used to determine the socio-economic factor affecting the technical efficiencies. The results showed that the level of technical efficiency ranged from 96.87% to 96.96% with a mean of 96.91%, which suggests that average pineapple output was 3.04% short of the maximum possible level. This implies that producers could still improve the technical efficiency by 3.04%. This study shows that market access, labor, land access, fertilizer access, credit access and soil quality could increase productivity of pineapple production if monitored. Government must take appropriate measures to technically support producers and hope for improved quality of pineapple meeting international standards. Key words: Stochastic production frontier, efficiency, management, pineapple, Benin.