Response of sapote mamey [Pouteria sapota (Jacq,) H,E, Moore&Stearn] fruitto hot water treatments

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 Science B.V. All rights reserved.