Two experiments were carried out with the objective to evaluate the effect of storage conditions and ethylene scrubbing on the quality of 'Prata' bananas. The treatments of experiment 1 were: cold storage (CS); CS + ES (ethylene scrubbing) and MA (modified atmosphere) + ES. In experiment 2 treatments were: CS; CS + ES; MA + ES; 21kPa O2 + 3kPa CO2 + ES; 21kPa O2 + 4.5kPa CO2 + ES; 21kPa O2 + 6kPa CO2 + ES; 21kPa O2 + 4.5kPa CO2; and 2kPa O2 + 4.5kPa CO2 + ES. The storage temperatures were 25ºC and 12ºC for the experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In experiment 1, ethylene scrubbing maintained higher flesh firmness and lower skin browning. MA+ES maintained greener peel color. In experiment 2, all treatments of controlled atmosphere with ethylene scrubbing resulted in greener peel color and less skin browning. In conclusion, with ethylene scrubbing, 'Prata' bananas can be stored in modified atmosphere for 14 or 21 days at 25ºC or 12ºC, respectively, or 28 days in controlled atmosphere at 12ºC.
Postharvest; ripening; Musa sp.
