Conservação pós-colheita de tomate italiano utilizando polímero de recobrimento bioativo à base de fécula de mandioca produzido a partir de um novo antimicrobiano natural

Abstract

Post-harvest losses increase production costs and decrease supply to the final consumer. The main causes occur during inadequate collection, transport and storage. The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is a very cultivated vegetable in different regions due to its easy adaptability and a high rate of consumption. However, post-harvest losses pose a challenge to minimize this problem through lowcost technological innovations. Thus, the use of coating polymers becomes an excellent alternative for promoting the increased shelf life of fruits and vegetableswhich are commercialized in natura. Cassava starch contains characteristics that promote the formation of films by means of their gelatinization after the increase in temperature in aqueous medium. Antimicrobial assets when combined with these biopolymers act as coadjuvants, protecting fruits and vegetables against deteriorating microorganisms that cause damage to food without promoting sensory changes. In the present study, the antimicrobial action of compound PHT 436 associated to the biopolymer formed from cassava starch was evaluated for the protection of loss of mass and water and the increase in the useful life of Italian tomatoes from conventional cultivation system, aiming at the conservation Post-harvest. The treatments used were: control 1 without coating application, control 2 tomatoes immersed in compound PHT 436, treatment with 3% manioc starch based film solution and 3% manioc starch based film solution and compound PHT 436. Coating was applied by immersing the tomatoes in the solution for 1 minute and then being allowed to dry naturally without forced ventilation. The coated tomatoes were stored at room temperature and monitored for 20 days. Physicochemical and microbiological analyzes were performed every five days, where the acidity, pH, Total Soluble Solids (STT) and mass loss and the count of filamentous fungi and yeasts were observed. The application of the filmogenic solution based on 3% manioc starch and compound PHT 436 was efficient to prolong the post-harvest life of the tomatoes for 20 days, giving a brightness and adhesion to the fruits, giving a better appearance in relation to the control.