ALTERNATIVA PARA LA COMERCIALIZACIÓN DEL CHICOZAPOTE (achras sapota): TECNOLOGÍA DE LOS TRATAMIENTOS MÍNIMOS

Chicozapote ( ) is one of the fruit species that at the moment a great potential has, as much commercial as economic, nevertheless, it is a fruit that quickly deteriorates after the harvest taking place diverse biochemical reactions that take to the nondesirable softening, darkening and other aspects, with the consequent loss of the quality of the fruit, thus diminishing its acceptability, and reducing its life utility. A solution to these problems represents the technology of minimum treatments. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of diverse conservatives and the temperature on the life utility of fractions of chicozapote. For the accomplishment of this work fruits of chicozapote with a degree of acceptable maturity were used (good color, firmness, size, etc.). 50 fractions of gr. of chicozapote were put under the following treatments: 1) solution of CaCl2 to 1%; 2) a solution of CaCl2 to 2%; 3) ascórbico acid solution and acid citrus, both to 1%; and 4) with solution of ascórbico acid 1,0% and citric acid to 0,5%. All with chlorine (200 ppm). They were dried and they stored to 4, 8 and 22 °C., as variable of answer were evaluated: pH, % acidity, water activity, firmness, ºBrix, reducing sugars, acetaldehído, ethanol, microbiological and sensorial analysis. The best treatment was the 1% mixture ascórbico acid and 0,5% of citric acid with storage to 4°C; prolonging the life of useful of the product until by 36 days, conserving pleasant flavor and color within the accepted characteristics of quality, being the technology of minimum treatments a strategy for the conservation and commercialization of chicozapote.