The post-harvest quality of pineapple, Smooth Cayenne variety, was evaluated after fruits were gamma-irradiated at 100 and 150 Gy doses. Control samples were non-treated fruits (0 Gy dose). Fruits were stored for 10, 20 and 30 days at 12 °C (±1), at a relative humidity of 85% (±5). Pineapples were harvested at the physiologic developmental stage. Physico-chemical analyses were conducted for each storage period to obtain information on the effects of the irradiation treatment on fruit quality. The doses of ionizing radiation applied had little significant influence on the physico-chemical characteristics of the pineapple. However, they exhibited better results when compared to the control dose. The period of twenty days of storage was ideal for the development of the main post-harvest quality characteristics of the fruit, while storage for thirty days was considered too long, being deleterious to pineapple quality.
irradiation of fruits; pineapple; post-harvest conservation
