ABSTRACT The pineapple, the most important fruit in the state of Paraíba, is characterized as an important generator of employment, income and regional development. With the increase in production, challenges arise in reaching distant competitive markets, including exports, making refrigerated storage necessary. However, pineapple, a tropical fruit, is subject to Chilling Injury (CI) when stored under sub-optimal temperatures, below 12 °C, which provide internal browning (IB) and quality loss. The use of pulsed electric field (PEF), a non-thermal technology, can be an alternative in ensuring the control of IB in pineapple. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of PEF application on IB, enzyme expression and activity, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of ‘Pérola’ pineapple. Initially, to define the best strategy, 8 kV/cm of PEF was applied to pineapples directly and indirectly (drinking water), in 4 levels of electrical pulses: 0 (control), 5, 20 and 35, proving to be the most efficient the indirect pulses. From these results, a completely randomized design was used, with indirect application of PEF at the four levels in pineapples, with 5 periods of evaluations at refrigeration at 5 °C, followed by transferring at each period for two more days to the room condition, in 4 replicants (3 fruit / rep). The indirect application of 35 pulses provided a reduction in expression and enzyme activity, IB and maintained the functional potential, being a promising alternative for the storage of pineapple under sub-optimal temperatures. Paraíba employment development production markets exports necessary However CI (CI suboptimal sub optimal temperatures 1 C °C (IB loss PEF, , (PEF) nonthermal non thermal technology Therefore ‘Pérola Pérola Initially strategy kVcm kV cm drinking water, water water) control, (control) 2 results used condition 3 ( rep. rep . rep) potential (PEF (control

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade de frutos do umbuzeiro em três estádios de maturação e armazenados sob atmosferas modificada (AM) e em condição ambiente (AA). O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 2x3x6, sendo duas atmosferas de armazenamento (AA e AM), três estádios de maturação: 'verde', 'verde-maduro' e 'maduro', e seis períodos de armazenamento a 23 ± 1 ºC e 83 ± 2% UR. As avaliações realizadas foram sólidos solúveis (SS), acidez titulável (AT), relação SS/AT, perda de massa, coloração da casca e aparência geral. Os SS de umbus mantidos sob AA foram mais elevados que os sob AM, sendo os menores teores os de frutos do estádio verde. A vida útil de umbu colhido maduro e mantido sob AA foi limitada a três dias, devido à excessiva perda de massa. O emprego da AM foi o fator determinante na manutenção da qualidade do umbu armazenado sob a condição ambiente por reduzir a perda de massa, manter a aparência atrativa, permitir a evolução da coloração para a amarela mais intensa, proporcionando um incremento na vida útil aos frutos colhidos verde e 'verde-maduro' em dois e um dia, respectivamente.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of fruits of the Brazil Plum at three stages of maturation, when stored under conditions of modified (MA) and ambient (AA) atmospheric conditions. The experimental design used was a completely randomized 2x3x6 factorial scheme of two storage atmospheres (AA and MA), three stages of maturation ('green', 'turning' and 'mature'), and six storage periods at 23 ± 1 ºC and 83 ± 2% RH. The evaluations carried out were for soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), the SS/TA ratio, weight loss, skin color and general appearance. The SS of Brazil Plum kept under AA were higher than those under MA, with the lowest levels being from the green fruit. The shelf life of the Brazil Plum, harvested when mature and kept under AA, was limited to three days due to excessive weight loss. The use of MA was the determining factor in maintaining the quality of the Brazil Plum stored under ambient conditions by reducing weight loss, keeping its attractive appearance, allowing the color to develop into a deeper yellow, and providing an increase in shelf life for those fruits harvested when green or turning of two and one days respectively.