The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of heat treatments on the potential improvement of the cold-storage of 'Fukuhara' loquat, and the effects of these treatments on the quality and on physicochemical and biochemical properties of fruits. The treatments applied were: storage at 1ºC for 60 days (control); storage at 5ºC for 60 days (standard); storage at 5ºC for 7 days, and at 1ºC for 53 days; storage at 10ºC for 7 days, and at 1ºC for 53 days; intermittent heat, in cycles of 6 days at 1ºC + 1 day at 15ºC, for 60 days; fruit conditioning at 37ºC for 3 hours, and at 1ºC for 60 days; and fruit conditioning at 37ºC for 6 hours, and at 1ºC for 60 days. The fruits were kept at 85-90% relative humidity, over the whole storage. The following parameters were determined: pulp firmness, incidence of internal browning, titrable acidity, pH, content of soluble solids, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds, activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), in evaluations after 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of storage. There was a correlation between firmness level and POD activity, after 60 days of cold storage. Intermittent heat and at 37ºC for 3 hours were efficient in controling internal browning in fruit pulp. Heat treatments did not prevent the increase of pulp firmness. Heat treatments increase cold-storage potential of loquat without changing fruit physicochemical properties.
Eriobotrya japonica; enzymatic activity; phenolic compounds; temperature conditioning; internal browning; pulp firmness
