The European pears don't reach the consumption maturity in the plant, being ripened before the consumption, through the storage. The present work aimed to evaluate the post harvest quality of pears cv. Carrick in different periods of cold storage. The fruits were stored at 0º±0,5ºC temperature and relative humidity (RH) of 90-95%, and for simulation of the commercialization in temperature of 20º±1ºC and RH of 75-80%. The fruits were submitted to the treatments: T1) 30 days of 0 ºC; T2) 28 days of 0ºC + 2 days to 20ºC; T3) 26 days of 0ºC + 4 days at 20ºC; T4) 24 days at 0ºC + 6 days at 20ºC. After 30 days the following variables were analyzed: total soluble solids (TSS); titratable acidity (TA); TSS/TA ratio; color; flesh firmness and rottenness. It was evaluated the sensorial characteristics of flavor and texture, with trained team. In the flesh firmness the values varied from 15,51 to 3,70 pounds. Coloration of the epidermis, became more intense in the colors yellow and red in the treatments T3 and T4; the values of TA and TSS varied from 0,39 to 0,32% of malic acid, and 13,4 to 13,87°Brix respectively. The treatments T3 and T4 presented better characteristic sensorial of flavor, texture and general quality, being classified the fruits from good to great quality. The fruits, stored under refrigeration for 24 and 26 days and then transferred to an ambient temperature, for 4 to 6 days, showed better quality of the commercialization and consumption.
pear; maturity; quality; storage; sensorial analysis
