Articles
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ORGANICALLY GROWN ONIONS IN CENTRAL BRAZIL
Article number
688_46
Pages
317 – 322
Language
English
Abstract
Consumer demand for organically grown products is significantly increasing in Brazil.
Organic vegetable crops are sold in different supermarkets throughout the country and prices are generally 30% higher than crops grown under conventional conditions.
The present work was carried out aiming to evaluate chemical composition and physical properties of organically grown onions cultivated in Central Brazil.
Onions (Allium cepa L.), cultivars CNPH 6400, Conquista, São Paulo, Vale Ouro, and Regia were organically grown at commercial fields in Brasilia, Central Brazil, and harvested at their optimum maturity stage.
After harvest, bulbs were immediately taken to the postharvest laboratory and were analyzed for dry matter, total soluble solids, firmness, brightness (L*a*b*). Data were subjected to analysis of variance and the least significant difference test was carried out (P£0.05). Cultivars Primavera, CNPH 6400, and Vale Ouro had the highest content of dry matter among the studied materials (10.4, 10.3, and 10.2%, respectively) whereas cultivar São Paulo had the lowest content of dry matter (7.8%). Total soluble solids content was significantly higher in cultivar Vale Ouro when compared to cultivars CNPH 6400, São Paulo, and Regia. Cultivar Vale Ouro has around 50% more soluble solids content than cultivar Regia. No significant differences were observed among treatments for bulb firmness.
For brightness it was verified that only cultivar Primavera was significantly less bright than the others.
Organic vegetable crops are sold in different supermarkets throughout the country and prices are generally 30% higher than crops grown under conventional conditions.
The present work was carried out aiming to evaluate chemical composition and physical properties of organically grown onions cultivated in Central Brazil.
Onions (Allium cepa L.), cultivars CNPH 6400, Conquista, São Paulo, Vale Ouro, and Regia were organically grown at commercial fields in Brasilia, Central Brazil, and harvested at their optimum maturity stage.
After harvest, bulbs were immediately taken to the postharvest laboratory and were analyzed for dry matter, total soluble solids, firmness, brightness (L*a*b*). Data were subjected to analysis of variance and the least significant difference test was carried out (P£0.05). Cultivars Primavera, CNPH 6400, and Vale Ouro had the highest content of dry matter among the studied materials (10.4, 10.3, and 10.2%, respectively) whereas cultivar São Paulo had the lowest content of dry matter (7.8%). Total soluble solids content was significantly higher in cultivar Vale Ouro when compared to cultivars CNPH 6400, São Paulo, and Regia. Cultivar Vale Ouro has around 50% more soluble solids content than cultivar Regia. No significant differences were observed among treatments for bulb firmness.
For brightness it was verified that only cultivar Primavera was significantly less bright than the others.
Publication
Authors
C.L. Moretti, F.L.N. Berg, L.M. Mattos, J.Z. Santos, T.C.P. Saminêz, F.V. Resende, J.L. Mendonça, D.B. Lima
Keywords
Allium cepa L., brightness, firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solids
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