THE EFFECT OF SELECTED RIPENING AGENTS ON ORGANOLEPTIC AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF PAPAYA

This study was conducted to improve on current unsatisfactory procedures adopted to ripen papaya fruits for domestic markets in Sri Lanka. Physico-chemical and organoleptic properties of fruits ripened via the commonly used ripening agents ethrel (2 cheoroethyl phosphonic acid) and calcium carbide were compared with ethylene gas and naturally ripened fruits respectively.
Fruits harvested at the mature green stage just prior to colour break and held at an ambient temperature of 28°±1°C, were observed to take 7 days to ripen. Fruits of the same maturity exposed to either 250 ppm ethylene gas, ethrel treatment or calcium carbide treatment under similar temperature conditions were observed to ripen and be ready for consumption after 4 days’ storage at ambient temperature. No significant difference was observed with respect to parameters such as texture, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid and acidity in the case of the four treatments tested. However, a significant difference was observed with respect to organoleptic evaluation of the fruit subjected to ripening treatments. Highest scores in this case were observed when ethrel was used as the ripening agent.