Research regarding the influence of ethephon on the ripe acerola (Malpighia glabra L.)

Abstract

These days, there are many types of chemicals which have ability to hasten the ripe fruit and affect the quality of fruits like calcium carbide, ethylene, acetylene, gibberellic acid. The objective of this research determines the influence of ethephon (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid or ethrel) on the ripe acerolas (Malpighia glabra L.). Because the acerolas are the common fruit in Vietnam and another Asia countries, it had a lot of water and high nutrition, especially reducing sugars and acid ascorbic. The acerolas samples was soaked into ethephon solution at concentrations of 0, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 % (v/v), then preserved in basket covered with cloth in conditions: temperature 30±1.4 oC, relative humidity 72±10 %. The use of specifications for evaluating were the percentage of ripe fruits, weight loss, the content of reducing sugar, total acidity and sensory evaluation of acerolas. The results showed that acerolas soaked into concentration of 2 % (v/v) ethephon have stimulated fruits that were the quick and uniform maturity; peel of acerolas was very smooth, red and characteristic flavour. Consumers are not unpleasant with the sensory evaluation quality of fruits soaked with ethephon. The ethephon residue in fruit after treatment did not harm in consumer’s health and it was absolutely suitable for the food law in Vietnam.