QUALITY EVALUATION OF 'SUNBURST' CHERRIES HARVESTED AT DIFFERENT RIPENESS STAGES .

• Author(s): Agulheiro Santos, Ana Cristina ; Palma, Vera ; Machado, Graça ; Rato, Ana Elisa ; Cabrita, Maria João
• Date: 2012
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10174/7674
• Origin: Repositório Científico da Universidade de Évora
• Subject(s): Cherry,; maturity,; antioxidants
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

The sweet cherry ‘Sunburst’ is highly appreciated by consumers due to its organoleptic traits. Regional producers tend to harvest cherries sooner in order to increase their profits. With the aim of understanding the consequences of this we have tested the effect of different ripeness stages at the moment of harvesting on fruit quality. Quality parameters tested included external colour (L*, a*, b*), fruit texture, total soluble solids (TSS), and titratable acidity (TA). To evaluate nutritional quality total antioxidant activity was measured too. Once again, and in agreement with results obtained in previous studies, we conclude that there is no advantage in picking less ripe cherries.