APPLICATION OF CASSAVA STARCH AND CORN STARCH BIOPOLYMER IN GUAVA POSTHARVEST CONSERVATION

The consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is increasing due to people's awareness of healthy habits. However, from the time of harvest until consumption, a great loss occurs due to different factors, the most important being the high perishability of the product. As a result of these problems, investments in research aimed at the development of packaging manufactured from biodegradable products, edible or not, have increased, aiming to maintain conservation, food safety and, at the same time, be ecologically correct. The effectiveness of biopolymers based on cassava starch and corn applied in vegetables is based on their ability to extend the shelf life of the food, reducing the susceptibility of the product to possible attacks of external agents. Thus, the main aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the application of biopolymers constituted of cassava starch and corn starch in the post-harvest conservation of guavas.The biodegradable films were developed by the preparation of two distinct aqueous solutions, both at the concentration of 3% cassava starch and corn starch, and were subsequently applied to guavas, where the fruits were stored at room temperature for a period of time and analyzed for quality parameter indicators (loss of mass, total soluble solids (TSS) pH, texture and color). The use of both coatings was efficient in reducing maturation characteristics, reducing mass loss, maintaining texture, retaining the color of the epidermis, preserving TSS and pH of fruits. The use of biopolymers can be an effective, sustainable and low cost application, the coating has the capacity to increase the shelf life of guavas, improving its visual appearance, preserving its physico-chemical characteristics, and can considerably reduce waste.