Abstract

RAMIREZ, Maricruz; SAENZ, Marco Vinicio  and  VARGAS, Alfonso. Effect of immersion in hot water of freshly-cut banana clusters on the latex secretion from the crown. Agron. Costarricense [online]. 2011, vol.35, n.1, pp.1-14. ISSN 0377-9424.

Aiming to evaluate the effect of hot water treatment_both temperature and exposure time_on banana latex removal, 2 experiments were carried out using recently-harvested banana fruit (cv. Valery, Musa AAA Subgroup Cavendish) of 12 weeks of age (flower to harvest). In the first experiment, 4 water temperatures (25, 35, 45 and 55ºC) and 4 immersion times (5, 10, 15 and 20 min) were evaluated; a commercial control (fruit from commercial packing line) was included in the experiment. In the second experiment hot water (45ºC) treatments at 2 immersion times (10 and 20 min) were compared with a commercial control and with an absolute control (clusters packaged just after separation from brunch). In both experiments hot water treatments were applied to recently-separated clusters (with fresh latex exudate). Hot water treatments did not induce premature onset of ripening during the transit-simulation period (15 days). In the first experiment, treatments at 55ºC induced severe peel damage (discoloration and rotting). In general, hot water treatments did not affect firmness (p>0.2685) but affected peel color (p<0.0145) and soluble solids (p<0.0001). Treatment at 45ºC for 10 min was as effective as the commercial control (20 to 25 min in delatexing circulating-water tanks, followed by healing (alum) and fungicide sprays after removal from the tank), for latex removal; recoveries of latex during transport simulation were similar.

Keywords : Banana; postharvest; hot water; treatment; latex.

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