Mechanical injuries and the effects on the quality of golden papaya fruits

This work aimed to identify the mechanical injuries that occur in 'Golden' papaya fruits, and to evaluate the injuries effects on the quality of the fruits at early ripening stage and storage at 22 degrees C and 85% RH for 10 days. The mechanical injuries identified were abrasion, cuts and bruises. Abrasion was caused by 200 mesh sandpaper in a 6 cm(2) of peel surface area. Cut injury was obtained by cutting fruits at 30 mm length and 5 mm depth. Bruises were produced in the papayas by impact, which were dropped from 2 m height onto a hard surface. Each fruit were injured twice in the opposite sides at the widest diameter region. Intact fruits were considered as control. Injured areas by abrasion did not develop the typical yellow color. The luminosity and chroma values were lower in injured areas. Abrasion and impact injuries were responsible for flesh firmness decrease and higher water loss. Magnetic resonance images showed that injured papaya fruits lost their integrity. In the injured areas were visualized clear region due to free water content. The quality of 'Golden' papaya fruits is affect by mechanical injuries, mainly due to the impact and the abrasion injuries.