TITLE:
Optimization of Hot Water Temperature Dipping and Calcium Chloride Treatment to the Selected Physico-Chemical Parameters of Keitt Mango and Cavendish Banana Fruits
AUTHORS:
Dovel Branquinho Ernesto, Mary Omwamba, Abdul Faraj, Symon Mahungu
KEYWORDS:
Mangifera, Musa, Optimization, Central Composite Design, Desirability Function
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.8 No.10,
October
13,
2017
ABSTRACT:
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) and banana (Musa acuminata) are the most
popular fruits in the world and widely cultivated crops in the tropical and
subtropical zones. Keitt mangoes and Cavendish bananas are the largest cultivar
of these fruits found in the Mozambique market. They are only available
for a short period each year mostly during the late summer and early falls.
Due to mango and banana fruits high water activity and respiration rate, are
perishable foods and require conservation methods for preservation and
availability. The aim of this study was to optimize the hot water-calcium chloride
concentration treatment regime for improved postharvest handling of
mangoes and bananas. The fruits collected were of uniform size, and at greenyellowish
maturity stage based on length, diameter, colour and firmness. The
process was optimized by experimental central composite design using hot
water temperature (50°C - 60°C) and calcium chloride concentration (2% -
4%) with the aid of desirability function. The samples were analyzed for the
centesimal composition, firmness, colour, °Brix, Aw, pH, titratable acidity and
vitamin C. The results showed that hot water temperature and calcium chloride
concentration were influent on the Keitt mangoes b* colour attribute, pH
and titratable acidity as well as the Cavendish bananas firmness, ash and vitamin
C content. The optimal conditions of the process were stabilized with
the desirable function and, coincidentally for both crops, obtained at 55°C of
hot water temperature dipping and 3% of calcium chloride concentration. The
simulated data were similar to the experimental ones. This is the first time
that calcium chloride-hot water treatment is being reported as a means of extending
the shelf-life of mangoes and bananas.