Influência da temperatura na maturação de frutos

Abstract

Brazil, as one of the main global fruit exporters, serves both the domestic and foreign markets. In this food distribution chain, a critical problem stands out during transportation: fruit wastage due to ripening. This phenomenon can occur due to factors such as temperature variations, inadequate storage and transportation time. Premature ripening is driven by the hormone ethylene, naturally produced by some fruits, which can activate the ripening of other nearby fruits, compromising quality and reducing the shelf life of the product. In addition to the ripening process, fruit respiration also stands out, where sugars, such as glucose, are converted into carbon dioxide, water and energy. These biochemical processes are interconnected and coordinated by a complex network of signals. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for developing strategies that control fruit ripening, such as adopting appropriate storage techniques, avoiding mixing fruits sensitive to ethylene with those that produce large amounts of this gas. The objective of this work is to illustrate the differences in the fruit maturation process, considering both their own characteristics and external interferences that can accelerate or delay this process.