Removal of astringency and quality maintenance of anão precoce cashew

• Grant number: 14/19664-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2014
• End date: October 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Alfredo Kluge
• Grantee: Ana Paula Candiane Toledo
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The cashew production has important social and economic for Brazil, which in addition to being the country of origin, it is a great consumer of this fruit. However, there is a big difference between the produced quantity of cashew nut and stem due, mainly, to the peduncle characteristics post-harvest such as short life (48 hours after being harvested) and astringency. Methods to remove astringency for other fruits with this same characteristic, have already been developed, improving the quality and prolonging their marketing. The objective of this project is to study the removal of astringency and the maintenance of the quality of peduncle from 'Anão-precoce' cashew, aiming to extend its marketing period. For this reason, the work will be divided in three experiments. The first experiment will be studied using different types and thicknesses of plastic films for the destanization. In the second one, will be studied the effect of irradiation on different doses aiming to find the best dose for maintaining the quality of peduncle. In the third one, will be tested combinations among the best plastic films and the best doses of gamma irradiation, setting which one can be adopted to peduncle of cashew nuts. The variables that will be analyzed are: content of soluble tannins, index of astringency, levels of acetaldehyde and ethanol, respiratory rate, firmness, ascorbic acid, soluble solids content, incidence of decay, loss of weight, color of epicarp and pulp, titratable acidity, phenolic compounds, anthocyanins in epicarp, gas composition and production of ethylene. The experimental design will be completely randomized design with four replicates per treatment, composed of three to four peduncles each. The data collected will be submitted to analysis of variance (F test) and, in the event of significance, the averages were compared by Tukey test (P < 0.05).