Effect of the ionizing radiation in the sensorial characteristics of the pineapple

The post-harvest quality of the pineapple cultivar Smooth Cayenne was evaluated after the fruit was irradiated with doses of 100 and 150 Gy and stored for 10, 20 and 30 days at 12 deg C ( +-1) and relative humidity of 85% (+- 5). The controls were untreated fruits. Sensorial analyses were made for each storage period to obtain information about the effects of ionizing radiation on the quality of the fruit. The ionizing radiation dosage had little effect on the sensorial characteristics of the pineapple, although the best results were obtained with fruit irradiated with 100 Gy. The 20-day storage period resulted in the highest consumer acceptability, while the 30-day storage period impaired the fruit's external and internal appearance. (author)