Effect of postharvest calcium treatments on firmness of guava fruit

Abstract

The effects of different chelated glycine calcium solutions on the quality and firmness fruit of guava fruit (Psidium guajava L.) were studied. Five sets of 45 fruits of 'Media China′ guava were submerged in different solutions of Glycine-calcium (Ca-Metalosate®) (0, 0.02, 0.08 and 0.14 M) at vacuum (3.3 kPa) during 10 min, and then stored 20 days at 10°C. Fruit samples were analyzed every five days. The firmness (F), weight loss (WL), visual quality (VQ), total soluble solids (TSS), titrable acidity (TA), and electrolyte leakage (EL) were measured. At the end of storage, TSS, TA and EL did not show significant differences between treatments but the fruit treated with 0.08 M Glycine-Ca presented the highest firmness (3.09±1.18 N) and VQ as well as the lowest WL (9.69%), while control fruit showed the lowest firmness (1.68±1.3 N). The ripening process was not affected by the treatment suggesting that the application of postharvest calcium could maintain firmness and quality of guava fruits.