Influence of environmental conditions on the quality attributes and shelf life of ‘Goldfinger’ bananas

Abstract ‘Goldfinger’ bananas ( Musa accuminata , FHIA-01) were harvested, held for 14–22 d at five temperatures and a constant relative humidity (RH) or at five RHs and a constant temperature and evaluated for quality attributes. The objectives of this work were to: (1) create quality curves for bananas stored at chilling and non-chilling temperatures; (2) create quality curves for bananas stored at a non-chilling temperatures and different RHs; (3) identify which sensory quality attribute limits the shelf life and marketability of bananas when stored at chilling and non-chilling temperatures or at different RHs; and (4) correlate subjective sensory attributes with quantitative quality measurements. Results from this study showed that temperature had a more significant impact on the quality of banana than RH. Bananas stored at temperatures higher than 10 °C were yellower and softer but had lower starch and higher soluble solids and total sugar content than those stored at lower temperatures. When stored at 2, 5 and 10 °C, bananas developed chilling injury (CI) and abnormal ripening when transferred to 20 °C. The most remarkable impact of RH on banana quality was on weight loss, which was significantly higher in fruit held below 80% RH than in fruit held in 87 or 92% RH. CI was the first sensory quality attribute to reach the limit of acceptability in fruit stored at 2, 5 and 10 °C, whereas color changes and softening limited the shelf life of bananas stored at 15 and 20 °C. Changes in color and/or softening were the two main sensory attributes that limited the shelf life of bananas stored at different RHs. Overall, for maximum quality and shelf life bananas should be stored at or above 15 °C and 92% RH. Finally, sensory attributes can be used to estimate peel color, pulp softening and sweetness, while SSC can be used as a reliable and simple method to estimate the total sugar content of bananas stored at different temperatures or different RHs.

[1]  H. Ramaswamy,et al.  Color and Texture Change Kinetics in Ripening Bananas , 2002 .

[2]  R. Paull.  Ethylene, storage and ripening temperatures affect Dwarf Brazilian banana finger drop , 1996 .

[3]  D. M. Pharr,et al.  Role of sucrose phosphate synthase in sucrose biosynthesis in ripening bananas and its relationship to the respiratory climacteric. , 1990, Plant physiology.

[4]  N. Banks,et al.  Factors affecting resistance of banana fruit to compression and impact bruising , 1991 .

[5]  S. Ketsa,et al.  Temperature effects on peel spotting in 'Sucrier' banana fruit , 2006 .

[6]  V. Carvalho,et al.  PHYSICAL CHANGES DURING RIPENING OF SILVER BANANAS , 1979 .

[7]  Jonathan H. Crouch,et al.  Banana and plantain , 1997 .

[8]  J. Marriott.  Bananas--physiology and biochemistry of storage and ripening for optimum quality. , 1980, Critical reviews in food science and nutrition.

[9]  Y. Man,et al.  Effects of variety and stage of fruit ripeness on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of deep‐fat‐fried banana chips , 2001 .

[10]  Hosahalli S. Ramaswamy,et al.  Technical note: Textural changes as related to colour of ripening bananas , 2007 .

[11]  R. Wills,et al.  CHANGES IN CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ‘CAVENDISH’ BANANA (MUSA ACUMINATA) DURING RIPENING , 1984 .

[12]  Saeed Ahmad,et al.  Effect of controlled atmosphere storage on ripening and quality of banana fruit , 2006 .

[13]  A. Semple,et al.  Influence of the ripening environment on the development of finger drop in bananas , 1989 .

[14]  Susana Fiszman,et al.  Changes in colour and texture and their relationship with eating quality during storage of two different dessert bananas , 2007 .

[15]  D. Turner.  Bananas and Plantains , 1994 .

[16]  D. Joyce,et al.  The Relative-Humidity At Which Bananas Are Stored or Ripened Does Not Influence Their Susceptibility to Mechanical Damage , 1992 .

[17]  Amos Nussinovitch,et al.  Peel Gloss as a Potential Indicator of Banana Ripeness , 1996 .

[18]  S. Ketsa,et al.  Effects of relative humidity on banana fruit drop , 2007 .

[19]  J. Marriott,et al.  Starch and sugar transformation during the ripening of plantains and bananas , 1981 .

[20]  R. E. Hardenburg,et al.  The commercial storage of fruits, vegetables, and florist and nursery stocks , 1986 .

[21]  S. Blankenship,et al.  A Ripening Index for Banana Fruit Based on Starch Content , 1993 .

[22]  V. Saúco,et al.  Distribution and importance. , 2010 .

[23]  High Relative Humidity after Ethylene Gassing is Important to Banana Fruit Quality , 1995 .

[24]  T. N. Prabha,et al.  Carbohydrate metabolism in ripening banana fruit , 1998 .

[25]  V. Modi,et al.  Peroxidase and chilling injury in banana fruit , 1984 .

[26]  W. Broughton,et al.  Storage conditions and ripening of two cultivars of banana , 1979 .