QUALIDADE PÓS-COLHEITA DE CULTIVARES DE BANANAS COMERCIALIZADAS EM POMBAL - PB

The quality of banana is an important factor in marketing, especially when destined for consumption in natura. Thus, for obtaining and maintaining the quality of the fruit are required satisfactory conditions for their production, maturation and proper post harvest handling. In this way, the objective of this work was to evaluate the postharvest quality of three cultivars of bananas (Silver, Apple and Nanica) marketed in the free fair in municipality of Pombal - PB during the period from October to November 2008. Were evaluated weekly, eight fruits of each cultivar. The characteristics were evaluated: fruit weight, pulp yield, length, diameter, external appearance, firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids (SS), pH and SS / TA. After collecting the data analysis was descriptive of those characteristics. Found a high incidence of spots and / or rot that compromised the external appearance of bananas Silver, Apple and Nanica. However, these observed changes in the external appearance of the fruits did not alter the levels of acidity and soluble solid pulp of bananas.