PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, PROXIMATE COMPOSITION AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF PINEAPPLE FRUIT (Ananas comosus) STORED IN DIFFERENT MEDIA

Abstract

Provision of adequate storage facility enhances the postharvest quality and shelf-life of fruits. An experiment was carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) to determine the postharvest quality and sensory acceptability of pineapple fruits stored in different media. Pineapple fruits from the Directorate of Farms at FUNAAB were harvested at colour break stage and stored in the evaporative cooling structure (ECS) - pots in pot design and ventilated wooden boxes (VWB) while fruits stored in the open shelf served as the control. The experiment was laid out in completely randomised block design, replicated four times. Shell and pulp colour, physiological weight loss (PWL), total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity, pH, proximate contents and sensory acceptability of the fruits were evaluated at pre-storage and after storage at 11 days (DAS). Quality and sensory attributes of pineapple fruits were affected by storage media. Fruits TSS contents increased with storage time while PWL and vitamin C contents reduced with storage time, across the media. Fruits stored in the ECS had comparable vitamin C content with pre stored fruits. Crude protein, crude fibre and carbohydrate contents were comparable in fruits stored in all media. Shell colour change from green to full yellow was reduced in fruits stored in the ECS and had better sensory acceptability when compared with fruits stored in VWB and open shelf. Pineapple fruit stored in the ECS retained fruit quality with better sensory acceptability