qualidade de frutos da laranjeira ‘mimo-do-céu’ (Citrus sinensis l. osbeck va. mimo), oriundos de diferentes epocas de colheita

Abstract

Brazil leads the production and exportation of citrus worldwide. In 2011, the orange‟s national production was approximately 20 million tons and generated revenue of more than six billion dollars. The low acid oranges, among them the 'Mimo-do-Céu' variety, are widely appreciated and demanded by a specific group of consumer. In the Paraíba state, the 'Mimo-do-Céu' orange production occurs in on a small area of the region of the Territory of Borborema, Pararaíba State and is directed to fresh consumption. However, information on quality of this citrus fruit is rather sparse, and there is virtually no detailed study on the 'Mimo-do-Céu' orange produced in that region. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of 'Mimo-do-Céu' orange produced by family farmers from four municipalities of the Territory of Borborema. The 'Mimo-do-Céu' oranges were harvested at the commercial maturity, between C1 and C3, according to the Maturity and Quality Standards of the CEAGESP, from two different harvest periods, from the municipalities of Areia and Remigio, in September, 2012, and Alagoa Nova and Matinhas, in December, 2012. Fruits were transported to the Laboratory of PostHarvest Biology and Technology for evaluations. The 'Mimo-do-Céu' orange produced in the Territory of Borborema presents high juice yield, length of 68.87 mm, diameter of 74.9 mm, fresh weight of 207.89 g, 64.15% yield, soluble solids 11.21%, titratable acidity of 0.1% of citric acid, SS / TA of 114.38, ascorbic acid 59.60 mg .100g-1, 2.81% of reducing sugars, 6.24% non- reducing sugars, yellow flavonoids 1.09 mg. 100g-1, PET juice, 43.29 mg.100g-1, PET albedo 159.29 mg. 100g-1, and the antioxidant activity of juice 4.96 μmol.g-1 and of the albedo 10.44 μmol.g-1. 'Mimo-do- Céu' oranges produced in Alagoa Nova and Matinhas presented higher contents of soluble solids, ascorbic acid, reducing sugars, and yellow flavonoids than those produced in Areia and Remigio municipalities. The contents of polyphenols and antioxidant activity present in the albedo of "Mimo-do-Céu" orange was about threefold higher than in the juice. Therefore, the albedo of 'Mimo-do-Céu' orange is a rich source of polyphenols and antioxidant activity.