Temperature and packing influence in storage of minimally processed pineapple and papaya

Pineapple and papaya have laborious peeling and cutting, making them inconvenient to the consumer. For this reason, the present work aims to study the chemical aspects for conservation of minimally processed 'Formosa' papaya and 'Pérola' pineapple together in the same packing. Fruits were selected, washed, sanitized (200 mg Cl L-1) and stored for 12 h at 10°C. Then, the fruits were minimally processed in a room at 12°C, pineapples were peeled, cut into slices (1.5-2.0 cm thick), and these slides cut in halves, papayas were cut longitudinally in half, ends and seeds were removed and then sliced in transvers direction (1.5-2.0 cm thick). The slices were rinsed (20 mg Cl L-1), drained and packed in PET trays with lids and styrofoam trays covered with PVC film and stored at 4 and 8°C. Every 3 days during storage time, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA ratio, pH, ascorbic acid, soluble carbohydrates, color (luminosity, Hue, chromaticity), mass loss, texture and appearance were evaluated. For both products, there was an increase in titratable acidity at 4°C and small decreases in soluble solids, SS/TA ratio and pH, these changes being more pronounced at 8°C. Ascorbic acid increased in pineapple and decreased in papaya at 8°C. Soluble carbohydrates decreased in pineapple at 4°C, while in papaya the greater decrease occurred at 8°C. Larger increases in luminosity, Hue angle and chromaticity were observed at 4°C, and they were more significant for pineapple. After 9 days of storage, both fruits presented adequate quality for consumption and sale, the best temperature was 4°C in combination with the styrofoam packing covered with PVC