Extension of umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arruda) postharvest life using a cassava starch-based coating

Abstract

The umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arruda) is a fruit tree adapted to the Brazilian semiarid region and constitutes an important source of income for many families in Brazil. Due to this, sustainable methods of fruit postharvest conservation should be studied. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of cassava starch-based biofilm coatings for the postharvest conservation of umbu. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2x5 factorial arrangement with six replicates. The two treatments, 1% cassava starch coating and no coating, were evaluated during five periods (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 d of storage). Fresh weight loss (WL), fruit firmness (FIR), pH, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TA), TSS/ TA ratio, external color: luminosity (L*), hue angle (H*), and chromaticity (C*) were measured. The coating of fruits with cassava starch-based biofilm improved WL, pH, and TSS. The variables TA, TSS/TA ratio, and L* were not influenced by the use or absence of the cassava starch biofilm coating. The use of 1% cassava starch to coat the fruits ensures better postharvest quality of the umbu and extends its postharvest life.