Articles
RELATION OF WATER LOSS TO COMPRESSIVE AND TENSILE TEXTURE ATTRIBUTES OF THREE CHILLI CULTIVARS
Article number
880_60
Pages
503 – 509
Language
English
Abstract
Postharvest quality loss in stored chilli is often detectable as a change in texture, particularly when there is significant water loss.
Three chilli cultivars (Paprika (Capsicum annuum), Jalapeno (C. annuum) and Habanero (C. chinense)) were stored in polyethylene (PE) bags at 4, 8, and 20°C. Weight loss of up to 40% was recorded for Paprika stored at 20°C for 14 days, and this was accompanied by significant shrivel.
Maximum weight loss of Jalapeno and Habanero was 25-30% after 14 days at 20°C with some symptoms of shrivel.
The maximum force (firmness) during compression of a pericarp piece to 50% strain in Paprika and Jalapeno stored at 4°C for 14 days was higher than for chillies stored at 20°C for the same period.
For Jalapeno in particular, loss of firmness was proportional to water loss.
In a tensile ring test, Paprika and Habanero showed a significant reduction in break strength (maximum force) as storage time increased with the maximum reduction for Paprika occurring at 4°C. These reductions in ring test break strength were unrelated to water loss and were most severe at low temperature, suggesting it may be a physiological response to chilling.
Tensile test rings of Jalapeno did not show a large reduction in break strength, and instead showed an increase in maximum stress with storage time, possibly as a result of tissue shrinkage without loss of strength of load-bearing cell walls.
For tensile tests of Jalapeno, the slope at 50% of the breakage strain on a stress-strain plot was negatively correlated with water loss suggesting there was a significant impact of turgor change on fruit texture in this thicker-walled cultivar.
Three chilli cultivars (Paprika (Capsicum annuum), Jalapeno (C. annuum) and Habanero (C. chinense)) were stored in polyethylene (PE) bags at 4, 8, and 20°C. Weight loss of up to 40% was recorded for Paprika stored at 20°C for 14 days, and this was accompanied by significant shrivel.
Maximum weight loss of Jalapeno and Habanero was 25-30% after 14 days at 20°C with some symptoms of shrivel.
The maximum force (firmness) during compression of a pericarp piece to 50% strain in Paprika and Jalapeno stored at 4°C for 14 days was higher than for chillies stored at 20°C for the same period.
For Jalapeno in particular, loss of firmness was proportional to water loss.
In a tensile ring test, Paprika and Habanero showed a significant reduction in break strength (maximum force) as storage time increased with the maximum reduction for Paprika occurring at 4°C. These reductions in ring test break strength were unrelated to water loss and were most severe at low temperature, suggesting it may be a physiological response to chilling.
Tensile test rings of Jalapeno did not show a large reduction in break strength, and instead showed an increase in maximum stress with storage time, possibly as a result of tissue shrinkage without loss of strength of load-bearing cell walls.
For tensile tests of Jalapeno, the slope at 50% of the breakage strain on a stress-strain plot was negatively correlated with water loss suggesting there was a significant impact of turgor change on fruit texture in this thicker-walled cultivar.
Authors
R. Jansasithorn, A.R. East, E.W. Hewett, A.J. Mawson, J.A. Heyes
Keywords
C. annuum, C. chinense, ‘Habanero’, ‘Jalapeno’, ‘Paprika’
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