COMPARISON AMONG CULTIVARS OF STAR FRUITS FOR PRODUCTION OF FRESH-CUT

This work characterized star fruits 'Hart', 'Malasia' and 'Nola 10', to produce fresh-cut. Fruits newly picked were hygienized, stored for 12 hours at 12 +/- 1 degrees C and 90 +/- 5%RH, processed and the product was packaged in PET packages, and stored at 10.3 +/- 1 degrees C and 80 +/- 5%RH during 8 days. The fruit yield for fresh-cut production was evaluated, as well as its quality evolution every 2 days, for weight loss., appearance, rotten occurrence, colour, pH, titratable acidity contents (TA), soluble solids (SS), ascorbic acid (AA) and ratio SS/TA. Fresh-cut yield was lower for 'Hart'(44.70%). intermediate for 'Nota 10'(66.38%) and hi her for 'Malasia' (72.58%). The weight loss, during the storage, was significantly greater oil 'Hart' products, when compared to other cultivars. The appearance of products produced from 'Malasia' fruit kept good up to 6 days (level 3). when they showed themselves with marks of darkness; while that one produced with 'Harts' and 'Nola 10' kept good appearance for 4 days (level 3). The colour of the products changed from greenish to green-yellowish, as can it be showed for medium hue value, from 115.40 to 110.48. Soluble solids content of fresh-cut from 'Malasia' (7.26 degrees Brix) and 'Hart' (6.97 degrees Brix) did not vary significantly, and it was lower for 'Nola 10', 8.8 degrees Brix to 7.1 degrees Brix. Titratable acidity and pH (3.80-3.90) did not vary for 'Malasia' and 'Hart' products, leading to an unchangeable ratio. Ascorbic acid content of three cultivars presented an increase followed by a reduction during the storage period. The results indicated that 'Malasia' fruits were the better than Hart and Nota 10 cultivars for fresh-cut production.