AVALIAÇÃO DA QUALIDADE DO TOMATE INDUSTRIAL DO CAMPO AO PROCESSAMENTO

Abstract

The work and research related to the postharvest of tomato for industrial processing are still precarious in Brazil. Due to the importance in the region, the need arose for this study, which aims to locate the critical points of the harvest from the crop to the processing, through physical and chemical-physical analysis in the fruits. For the field survey collections were carried out in six stages, in two distinct periods: morning and afternoon. Based on the harvest of 60 fruits per stage being performed in four replicates. Samples were evaluated as raw material classification, temperature, fresh matter mass, pH, soluble solids, firmness, titratable acidity and electrolyte extravasation. Thus, the results obtained had losses, since the time of waiting in the yard, for discharge, was over 10 hours, increasing the respiratory activity, undergoing biochemical alterations, obtaining increase of serious defects, resulting in the decrease of the firmness of the fruits. High temperature increased the consumption of reserves and activities of organic acids. Also causing the increase in titratable acidity, modifying composition and membrane structures and increased release of electrolytes. At the end of the process, the last step, the fruits were more resistant and mature, the soluble solids content bigger and with less firmness. In view of the process, the arrival of the fruits to the industry and the unloading, where there was loss of fresh matter mass, lower TSS, higher titratable acidity, greater electrolyte release, cell wall degradation and higher temperature were presented as a more critical form.