Changes in quality attributes and physiological behavior of fresh bananas (Musa acuminata cv. ‘cavendish’) during commercial storage

The banana (Musa acuminata) is an economically important fruit that is characterized by being climacteric, so its natural ripening process is fast. This factor affects the quality of the fruit and the storage conditions for long periods of time. With the purpose of contributing to avoid economic losses related to the conservation of bananas, in this study the quality attributes and the behavior of the respiratory activity of fruit were evaluated using different treatments under refrigeration conditions of 13 ± 2 °C and 92 ± 2% RH. The fruits were selected, washed, and sanitized, then divided into four groups to which different treatments were applied: 50% (v/v) Cerabrix edible coating, 1% (w/v) CaCl2, 50% (v/v) Cerabrix + 1% (w/v) CaCl2 and the control. The attributes such as pH, titratable acidity, color, total soluble solids, weight loss, firmness and respiratory intensity were evaluated every 48 h. The treatment with 50% Cerabrix and 1% CaCl2 decreased respiratory intensity and weight loss of whole banana, and better preserved its quality attributes.