Quality evaluation and sugar beet postharvest conservation under modified atmosphere

This work had as objective the evaluation of sugar beets postharvest conservation under modified atmosphere and at environmental temperature (15 - 26° C). The experiment was entirely guided at a randomized design with three factorial sizes (small,, medium and large) and two packings (PVC and without packing) in three repetitions of five beets. They were appraised in the beginning and at the end of storage, for pH;Total Soluble Solids (TSS) and TotalTitration Acidity (TTA) contents. During the storage, the percentage of weight loss percentage was also appraised. It was observed that the packing reduced between in eight to ninefold the weight loss, and the small beets presented smaller weight loss than the large ones. After 14 days they were stored, the beets without packing were useless for trade due to withered advanced phase, with medium weight loss of 55%. The beets packed with PVC stayed with good appearance for 22 days of storage with medium loss weight of 15,82%. The pH, TSS and TTA contents didn’t present significant difference in packed beets, but at the 22nd day TTA was larger in small beets. On the average, pH was larger while TTA and TSS were smaller for large beets.Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a conservação pós-colheita de beterrabas sob atmosfera modificada e à temperatura ambiente (15 - 26 ° C). O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em fatorial três tamanhos (pequeno, médio e grande) e duas embalagens (PVC e sem embalagem) em três repetições de três beterrabas. Foram avaliados no início e final do armazenamento o pH, teores de Sólidos Solúveis Totais e Acidez Total Titulável, e durante o armazenamento a porcentagem de perda de peso. Observa-se que a embalagem reduziu de 8 a 9 vezes a perda de peso, sendo que as beterrabas pequenas apresentaram menor perda que as grandes. Aos 14 dias de armazenamento, as beterrabas sem embalagem apresentavam-se imprestáveis para comercialização devido ao estágio avançado de murcha, com perda média de peso de 55%; as beterrabas embaladas com PVC permaneceram com boa aparência até os 22 dias de armazenamento com perda média de peso de 15,82%. Os teores de pH, TSS e TTA não apresentaram diferença significativa nas beterrabas embaladas, exceto a TTA aos 22 dias , que foi maior nas beterrabas pequenas. Em média, o pH foi maior e a TTA e TSS menor nas beterrabas grandes