The purpose of this research was to study the effect of exposure period to ethyl alcohol vapor on astringency removal of persimmon fruits (Diospyros kaki L.) cv. Giombo. Fruits were exposed to alcohol vapor for 24, 36 and 48 hours at 20°C and 95% RH. Chemical and physical characteristics of fruits were measured for ten days, at two day intervals. Soluble tannin content, flesh firmness, water loss, pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content were measured. This research showed that 24 and 36 hours were equally efficient in the astringency removal of fruits, although the analysis of other quality indices showed that fruits exposed for 24 hours exhibited better quality. The flesh firmness underwent a linear decrease in terms of time. The best period for consumption of the fruits was placed between the 4th and 8th day after the treatment. Fruits became edible at the 4th day after the treatment, when the content of soluble tannins was under 0.1%, imperceptible to taste, and the flesh firmness was kept for 8 days after the treatment.
Diospyros kaki; postharvest physiology; ethylene production; tannins; ripening
