Tomato quality in different postharvest phases

Manual classification using wooden boxes (K) are still very common in Brazil. The main goal of this work was to characterize tomatoes of the cultivar Debora type, for maturity index, diameter and external defects at harvest time and at Retail Market, CEASA, Campinas, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. This research also evaluated parameters related to mechanical in in jury (%), weight loss (%) and quality during the main phases ( I) harvest (2) before field sorting and classification; (3) after field sorting and packaging in K boxes; (4) at CEASA. 120 fruits were taken at each stage. Defects and physical damage were evaluated using a score scale. Fruits sampled in the field showed external damages, due to bruising from bamboo stakes, insects attack and physiological and nutritional disorders. fruits were harvested mainly at green maturity stage (48%). But, when sampled at CEASA this amount dropped to 26,3%, having mixed diameters fruits, 55,4% at 50-60min and 43,9% over 60 min. The results showed an increase in mechanical injury (%), weight loss (%) and loss of quality, during the stages. Fruits taken directly from field showed better quality (45%) after storage for 21 days than fruits sampled at terminal market, CFASA (5,8%).