Preserving treatments effect on the physicochemical properties of the plantain stored at an ambient temperature

Abstract

The preservation of fruits and vegetables allows to avoid the post-harvest losses. Their keeping in freshness and in acceptable food value remains a concern for the specialists. Within the context of our work, several methods were tested and evaluated for the plantain. The factors with which these organs were subjected to, are chemical substances which are gibberellic acid GB and imazalil sulphate IZ; polyethylenic thickness film 100µm (P100). During the storage which lasted 28 days, physical measurements (weight, color of peel and pulp, firmness of the whole fruit) and biochemical ones (soluble reducing sugars) were taken. The results permit to conclude that plantain subjected to all the treatments (P100, GB, GB.P100, IZ and IZ.P100) as well as control (TM) have different behaviors at 28 + 2 °C. Fruits remained green for IZ.P100 and P100. On the other hand, with TM, GB, GB.P100 and IZ, some plantains ripen and others start their ripening very later at 28 + 2 °C. Packaging slows down the ripening of the plantain.