The jabuticaba fruits has great acceptance for "in natura" consumption. However, it is highly perishable, with short postharvest life. Calcium ions are capable to delay the senescence and to maintain fruit firmness. The objective of this experiment was to increase shelf life of jabuticabas, by means of its immersion in solution of CaCl2. The fruits were harvested fully ripe, immerged in solution of CaCl2 40 g.L-1 for 0; 5; 10; 20; 40 and 60 minutes and stored at room temperature and relative humidity for six days. Larger times of immersion resulted in larger retention of fruit firmness, although without affecting its fresh matter loss. In all immersion times there were reduction of firmness and increasing of fresh matter loss of the fruits with increasing of storage period. Longer immersion times reduced respiration rates. Respiration rate reduced, in all immersion times, until the fourth day after the harvest, followed by increasing after the sixth day. The acidity increased during storage and reduced when immersion times in CaCl2 varied from 0 to 20 min and then increased in the fruits immerged for 40 and 60 min. In spite of the described effects, there was not great contribution of calcium in the extension of commercialization period of the jabuticaba, fruits.
Myrciaria jaboticaba; storage; fruit firmness
