RESEARCHES ON QUALITY MAINTAINANCE IN EGGPLANTS DURING PRESERVATION

Water content in egg-plants fruits is high while biochemical and physislogical activities are intense.

Market value of egg-fruits depends on several characteristics, such as size, shape, colour, turgor, elasticity, brilliance and firmness.

A large range of investigations were devoted both in Romania and abroad to physical and chemical changes and to factors which control the dynamics of these characteristics. Results obtained allowed to determine the environmental relative humidity and temperature ranges in egg-plant preservation roms, for an optimum maintenance of their quality.

It was thus foud that for a fortnight's preservation period, temperatures of 8° to 10°C and a 90–95% relative humidity should be respected (Bünemann and Hansen 1972), while for longer transport distances or for a 2–6 preservation period, temperatures of 8 to 15°C are recommanded (Hanses and Henge 1972). On the other hand, american authors recommand for preservation periods of 10 to 14 days, 10 – 11°C and 95% respectively.

This paper presents the experimental results obtained at the Institute for Researches on Fruits and Vegetables (I.C.V.L.F.), concerning the effect of preservation conditions on quality maintainance of several egg-plant varieties.

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