Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
such as 'Concha Lisa' tolerate 7-8°C and 'Bronceada' 10-11°C. Fruit
harvested early in the season will have fewer sugars but stores better than
fruit harvested late in the season. Cherimoyas can be coated with dif erent
wax formulations to reduce water loss, delay fi rmness and enhance fruit
appearance (Gardiazabal and Rosenberg, 1993).
Storage conditions recommended for sweetsop are 15°C, with an RH of
85-90%. Atemoya fruit can be stored up to 2 weeks at 15-16°C or 1 week
at 10-12°C; fruits stored at 0-5°C turn black. At lower temperatures, skin
discoloration occurs rapidly. Precooling of fruit is essential to help extend
shelf-life. Some trials have been made to store under controlled atmosphere.
Except for the atemoya in Australia, there are no reports of established
grade standards. Australian standards specify mature atemoya fruit should
be 75 mm in diameter, fi rm, with 'creaming' between segments on the skin.
Containers are 0.5 bushel (8-10 kg) in size, made of wood, fi breboard or
polystyrene (450 mm × 215 mm × 180 mm), well ventilated and marked with
'custard apple' and the number of fruit. The presence of soft fruit and even one
fruit-fl y-damaged fruit can lead to rejection of the consignment.
Compositional changes during fruit ripening
All
Annonas
are climacteric fruit. Cherimoya has two respiration peaks during
ripening instead of the single peak of other climacteric fruits. The fruits also
seem to release more ethylene than most other fruit and have a higher rate
of metabolism, which shortens its postharvest life. 'African Pride' atemoya
respiration reaches a peak about 3 days after harvest, and the eating stage is
reached in another 2 days. Total time from harvest to eating ripeness is about
5 days at 20°C.
UTILIZATION
Cherimoya is a fair to good source of vitamins, while sweetsop is a good source
of P, thiamine and ascorbic acid (Table 6.9). Atemoya is also a good source of
ascorbic acid.
These
Annonas
are usually consumed as dessert fruit. Once peeled, the
pulp tends to oxidize fairly soon and acquires a brownish colour. Several pies,
custards and fi ne desserts, which can include combinations with whipped
cream and meringues, are made with cherimoya and atemoya. The peeled
pulp can be eaten mixed with orange juice, as they do in Chile. A delicious ice
cream can also be made with these fruits or they can be included in yogurt.
The perishable nature of the fruit and often short supply limits availability to
local markets or air shipment to more-distant markets.
