ABSTRACT
Objetivou-se avaliar a conservação de morangos com revestimentos à base de goma xantana e, ou, óleo essencial de sálvia. Os morangos foram minimamente processados, submetidos aos revestimentos, secos sob ventilação, embalados em bandejas de polietileno tereftalato e armazenados a 4 ºC durante 12 dias. Foram realizadas análises de deterioração fúngica, perda de massa, firmeza, cor, pH e sólidos solúveis totais, e ao final do armazenamento, contagem de fungos e leveduras. Independente do revestimento houve redução da perda de massa dos morangos ao longo da estocagem refrigerada. Entretanto, os revestimentos à base de goma xantana indicaram ser mais eficientes, por proporcionarem maior firmeza dos frutos, sendo que aquele contendo goma xantana e óleo essencial de sálvia foi o que proporcionou a menor incidência de fungos. De um modo geral, o emprego dos revestimentos não influenciou na coloração e no pH dos frutos de morangos.
The objective was to evaluate the conservation of strawberries with coatings based on xanthan gum and, or, sage essential oil. The strawberries were minimally processed, added with coatings, dried under ventilation, packaged in trays of polyethylene terephthalate and stored at 4 °C for 12 days. Analyses of fungal decay, weight loss, firmness, color, soluble solids and pH were carried out, and at the end of storage, fungi and yeasts count as well. Regardless of the coating, mass loss of strawberries was reduced during the refrigerated storage period. However, the coatings based on xanthan gum indicated to be more efficient, by providing greater fruit firmness, while those containing xanthan gum and sage essential oil were the ones which provided the lowest incidence of fungi. In general, the coatings did not affect the color and pH of the strawberries.