POSTHARVEST BEHAVIOR OF WHITE SAPOTE FRUITS IN TEXCOCO, MÉXICO

Abstract

In this work we studied the postharvest behavior of two fruit types (A, B) of white sapote (Casimiroa edulis Llave & Lex.), previously identified at Texcoco, México. The fruits were harvested at physiological maturity and evaluated at 21 ± 2 °C for 6 d. Fruits showed a climacteric behavior, with a respiratory peak at 4 d in type A (199 mL CO₂ kg^-1 h^-1; 651 µL C₂H₄ kg^-1 h^-1) and at 5 d in type B (162 mL CO₂ kg^-1 h^-1; 521 µL C₂H₄ kg^-1 h^-1). Total sugars content averaged 10.7 % and they did not change during ripening, while the reducing sugars changed from 6.1 to 7.8 % in A and from 5.2 to 8.2 % in B. The ratio °Brix/acidity increased in both fruit types, from 28.4 to 34.1 in A and from 33.4 to 43.3 in B. At the preclimacteric phase, the fruit flesh was firmer in type B than in type A (17.3 and 13.8 N, respectively). Regarding the color variables, type B showed higher lightness and chroma values than type A, but in hue values both types changed in a similar way, from 113.7 to 103.2°. Type B fruits showed a higher commercialization potential.