The effects of temperature, concentration and exposure time to acetylene on initiation of banana ripening

✍ Scribed by Nicholas J. S. Smith; Anthony K. Thompson

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 419 KB
• Volume: 40
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-5142
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2740400107

✦ Synopsis

The initiation of ripening of bananas by acetylene was studied with various concentrations and times of exposure at a range of temperatures. Ripening was associated with loss in firmness of the pulp, change in peel colour, and increases in total soluble solids content of the pulp. A n interaction between the pulp temperature of bananas and their response to acetylene was demonstrated over a temperature range of I4 to 35°C in that the higher the temperature the shorter the exposure time, or the lower the concentration required. The period of exposure to acetylene was also shown to affect initiation of fruit ripening, with longer exposures up to 24 h requiring less gas or a lower temperature to initiate ripening. Fruit exposed to acetylene gas at the lower temperatures (I4 to 16°C) were shown to ripen normally with respect to pulp soluble solids and pulp rupture force, although the co-ordination of the degreening response was lost in some fruit exposed to acetylene for 72 h. The temperature at which bananas were initiated to ripen did not affect their flavour.