Abstract:
Berangan banana were treated with hot water at 50
ºC for 0 (control), 10, and 20 min
and then kept at room temperature (25±2 ºC), 75-80%
RH to observe the ripening
progress. Firmness and activity of cell wall degrad
ation enzymes such as
polygalacturonase (PG), pectin methylesterase (PME)
, and pectate lyase (PL) were
determined for treated and untreated banana. The mi
crostructure of banana peel cell
wall was observed by scanning electron microscopy (
SEM) and transmission electron
microscopy (TEM). Treated fruit was firmer than the
control fruit during ripening
process. PG, PME, and PL activities were reduced in
the treated bananas when compared
with the control treatment. Hot water treatment dis
turbed cell wall degrading enzymes
activity and delayed the disassembling of pectin fr
action of Berangan banana. The
micrographs of SEM and TEM exhibited lower changes
in cell compartment and less
loosening of cell wall fibril fractions in treated
fruits. The electrolyte leakage in Berangan
banana decreased with the increase of exposure time
. The results of this study indicated
that hot water treatment at 50 ºC slowed down the r
ipening process and extended shelf
life
of banana.
Keywords:
Berangan, Cell wall; Fruit firmness; Heat treatmen
t, Shelf life.
