Jc. Diaz-perez et al., Response of sapote mamey [Pouteria sapota (Jacq,) H,E, Moore&Stearn] fruitto hot water treatments, POSTH BIOL, 22(2), 2001, pp. 159-167
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of potential insect disin
festation hot water treatments (HWT) on sapote mamey fruit ripening and qua
lity. The center of a 0.50 kg fruit took similar to 45 min to reach the wat
er temperature (40-60 degreesC). Once the center of the fruit reached the w
ater temperature, fruit were held for an additional 40-60 min in the water.
After immersion, fruit were allowed to dry and were held in storage at 25
degreesC for 4-6 days. Fruit treated at 40 or 45 degreesC showed no signifi
cant changes in quality, while fruit treated at 50 degreesC for 60 min ripe
ned irregularly and had nt sh with white and dark colorations. Fruit treate
d at 60 degreesC for 60 min ripened more slowly and had no skin or flesh sy
mptoms of heat injury, but had lower soluble solids and pH, higher firmness
and slightly higher water loss than untreated fruit. The 60 degreesC heate
d fruit also showed a lesser degree of flesh browning than untreated fruit.
A panel of untrained judges found no significant difference in taste or ar
oma. Judges did give a higher score for the flesh color of fruit treated at
60 degreesC compared with that of untreated Fruit as there was less flesh
browning and a firmer flesh relative to untreated fruit. Sapote mamey fruit
subjected to 60 degreesC WW-T for 60 min had relatively minor effects on f
ruit quality and a delayed ripening. Hot water treatments may have potentia
l as an insect disinfestation treatment for sapote mamey. (C) 2001 Elsevier
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