The aim of this study was to evaluate the post harvest behavior of papaya from the hybrid group Formosa 'TAINUNG 01' stored in different packages for road transportation, from the farm to the wholesale market. It was used papaya picked in the stages 1 (up to 10% of the colored yellow skin superficial area) and 3 (25 to 40% of the colored yellow skin superficial area), packed in different ways: in bulk, in wooden boxes, in wavy cardboard boxes and in plastic boxes covered internally with bubble-wrap (control), and then transported to Viçosa/MG, 750 km away from the production, where the fruits were evaluated. After selection and new packaging, the fruits were stored for 24,5 ± 2ºC for eight days with samplings every two days, to evaluate the skin color index, fresh mass loss, respiration rate, pulp firmness and the mechanical injuries index. The results showed the depreciative effects of the mechanical injuries on the final quality of the papaya, as the transportation of fruits in bulk, in regard to control, caused alterations on the fruit post harvest quality, with increase of skin color index, decrease of pulp firmness, high fresh mass loss and respiratory rate, and the higher percentages of injured skin area in both color stages studied (1,14 and 1,21%, respectively). The wavy cardboard boxes and the plastic boxes covered internally with bubble-wrap maintained a small percentage of injured skin in regard to the transportation of fruits in bulk, proving to be a promising way to maintain the post harvest quality of Formosa papaya that goes to the internal market.
Carica papaya; post harvest; mechanical injury
