Concentrations of carnauba wax on the quality of cv. Esmeralda peaches after storage - DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v29i4.402

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade de pêssegos cv. Esmeralda envoltos com diferentes concentrações de cera à base de carnaúba, armazenados sob refrigeração. As frutas foram submetidas à pré-resfriamento até a polpa atingir temperatura de 3ºC, recebendo após os tratamentos: T1) testemunha; T2) 25% de cera; T3) 50% de cera; T4) 75% de cera; e T5) 100% de cera. Os pêssegos foram armazenados durante 30 dias a 0±0,5ºC e 90-95% de UR, mais quatro dias a 8±0,5ºC e UR de 75-80% para a simulação da comercialização. Avaliaram-se as variáveis: perda de massa; cor; firmeza de polpa; sólidos solúveis (SS); acidez titulável (AT); relação SS/AT; podridões e características sensoriais. A perda de massa foi menor nas frutas tratadas com cera. Pêssegos ‘Esmeralda’ apresentaram menor firmeza nos tratamentos com 75 e 100% de cera. Frutas tratadas com 50, 75 e 100% de cera apresentaram menor percentual de podridões. Na avaliação sensorial, a acidez e a adstringência diminuíram em frutas tratadas com cera. O uso de cera a 50%, associada à refrigeração, reduz a perda de massa e a ocorrência de podridões, mantendo a firmeza e permitindo armazenar pêssegos ‘Esmeralda’ por 30 dias a 0ºC, mais quatro dias a 8ºC.The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality of peaches cv. Esmeralda treated with different concentrations of carnauba wax stored with refrigeration. The fruits were submitted to pre-cooling at the fruits pulp reached 3ºC. Afterwards, they received the treatments: T1) control; T2) 25% wax; T3) 50% wax; T4) 75% wax; and T5) 100% wax. The peaches were stored during 30 days, at 0±0.5ºC and 90-95% relative humidity (RH), plus 4 days at 8±0.5ºC and RH of 75-80% to simulate commercialization. The following variables were evaluated: weight loss; color; pulp firmness; soluble solids (SS); titratable acidity (TA); SS/TA ratio; rottenness and sensorial characteristics. The weight loss was smaller in fruits treated with wax. ‘Esmeralda’ peaches showed small firmness in the treatments with 75% and 100% of wax. Fruits treated with wax with 50%, 75% and 100% showed small percentage of rottenness. The sensorial evaluation showed that acidity and astringency in fruits treated with wax decreased. The utilization of 50% wax, associated with cold storage, reduced weight loss and rottenness, maintaining the pulp firmness. Thus, it is possible to store peaches cv. Esmeralda during 30 days at 0ºC and four days at 8ºC