QUALITY RELATED CHANGES AND SOFTENING ENZYMES ACTIVITIES DURING RIPENING OF ‘SEKAKI’ PAPAYA

Different ripening stages of papaya (Carica papaya var. ‘Sekaki’) fruit were evaluated for quality and the activity of softening enzymes.
The sample was evaluated when the skin was 5%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% yellow (or YR) stage.
Quality changes in weight loss, tissue firmness, ascorbic acid, and the softening enzymes activities of α- and β-galactosidases, and pectin methylesterase (PME) were determined.
During ripening at ambient temperature, tissue firmness decreased rapidly up to 50%YR and then at a more gradual rate until the end of ripening.
Weight loss and ascorbic acid level increased slightly during fruit ripening. α-Galactosidase activity increased until 25%YR, whereas, β-galactosidase and PME activities increased linearly with softening until 50%YR. Tissue softening particularly at the initial stages of ripening was closely related to changes in α-, β-galactosidases and PME. The results suggested that these three enzymes may play an important role in softening process and contribute to ‘Sekaki’ papaya fruit quality.

I International Symposium on Papaya

M. Razali, Z.M. Ali, H. Lazan, R. Othman, R.A. Rahman

‘Sekaki’ papaya, quality changes, softening enzymes, ripening

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.740.42