LESSON 6.A.

CONTROLLED
RIPENING METHOD
PREPARED BY;
JOMARI TAWAT
RUEL TEMPLONUEVO
JAN BRIX TABUZO
 Ripening is a series of biochemical and physical processes that cause an
immature fruit to develop all the desirable aesthetic and edibility characteristics
of its species. It is the phase of development after maturation and the start of
senescence in fruits. As the fruits ripen, there is an enhanced production of
energy through respiration to power the different metabolic events associated
with ripening.
 They change color and lose their astringency.
 Ethylene (C2 H4) is the hormone responsible for triggering the ripening process.
THE ROLE OF ETHYLENE
 Ethylene synchronizes the different physiological and respiratory events of
ripening.
A fruit need not be exposed to externally applied ethylene for a long time but
only up to the time that the autocatalytic production of ethylene starts;
 An ethylene-producing chemical has no other effect except to trigger
production of more ethylene;
 Eating ethylene-treated fruits is not harmful to people
CLASSES OF FRUITS ACCORDING
TO RIPENING PATTERN
 Fruits that can be picked green-mature stage and subsequently ripened have the following
characteristics:
  Can also be harvested at the ripe or half-ripe stage

 Usually contain high amounts of starch that can be converted to sugars during
ripening
 Color and flavor develop further after harvest
 Exhibit a respiratory climacteric rise. After the climacteric peak, deteriorative
changes soon become apparent such as increased susceptibility to decay,
shriveling, and discoloration, among others. The onset of the climacteric rise
will be advanced as the ethylene concentration is increased. The respiration
rate at the climacteric peak, however, will not be significantly affected.

 Have the capacity to produce ethylene autocatalytically.

Fruits That Need To Be Picked Ripe
Have The Following Characteristics:
 Not capable of ripening off the plant since there is no further development of
flavor after harvest. Even when harvested at the ripe stage, full color development
may not be achieved if the growing temperature is not favorable for the enzyme
responsible for the development of the particular color. This is often the case in
oranges.
 Have no starch that can be converted into sugar there may be however, a slight
improvement in the taste if they are kept for some time after harvest due to faster
breakdown of acids than sugars as in citrus. It may also be due to a reduction of
moisture in the fruit resulting in higher concentration of sugars relative to water as
in lanzones where the loss in moisture is due to drying of the latex and
transpiration.
CONTINUATION…

 There is hardly any change in respiration after harvest, hence, are non-climacteric;
treatment of ethylene will only improve the color as in oranges in which case the
process is called degreening.
 These fruits do not have the capacity to produce ethylene autocatalytically. While
the onset of the climacteric rise is not affected by increasing the external ethylene
concentration, the value of the climacteric peak is increased as the concentration of
the ethylene is increased. Also, since the fruit has nearly all the attributes of a ripe
fruit except for the color, the main benefit derived from increasing the ethylene
level is the improvement of fruit color. This can either be as a consequence of
chlorophyll degradation and subsequent unmasking or enhanced synthesis of the
other colored pigments as in banana and sweet orange, respectively.
ADVANTAGES OF RIPENING
REGULATION
 Ripening regulation can involve either acceleration delay of the process. Advantages gained from
controlling ripening include:
 Allows shipment of fruits at mature green stage -this helps reduce the risk of mechanical
damage during transit since mature green fruits are more resistant to compressive and impact
stresses during transport and handling than ripe fruits which are softer and more fragile.
 Better color development-it insures maximum and more uniform color development. Ripening
acceleration is good for varieties that do not ripen uniformly. The greater the volume of fruits
handled, the more difficult it is to achieve uniform color development if fruits are allowed to
ripen naturally. Even for small volumes, some fruits harvested at the same time do not ripen at
the same rate. By regulating ripening, one can accelerate the slow-ripening fruits to catch up with
those fruits with faster ripening rate, or delay the ripening of the fast-ripening ones.
CONTINUATION…

 Slower disease symptom expression- allows the development of an acceptable

marketable color ahead of disease symptom development. Most mangoes sold in
the market in the Philippines have been subjected to ripening acceleration for
this reason. Anthracnose is a latent infection in mango and symptoms (black spot
on the peel) become apparent as the fruit ripen. While color change and
softening can be hastened, growth of microorganisms causing the disease is not.
Ripening acceleration will ripen the fruit before the appearance of disease
symptoms.
 Less fruit shriveling- the rate of water loss per day of naturally-ripened fruit
and those subjected to ripening acceleration are the same. However, the fruits
ripen in a smaller number of days when ripening is accelerated than naturally
ripened fruits, so the percentage of water lost in the latter up to ripened stage is
greater.
 Flexibility of selling- it provides wholesalers or retailers flexibility in
selling the fruit. Since buyers prefer to buy ripe fruits, the seller can
program how many fruits he would like to sell per day by programming
the treatments to accelerate ripening.
 Effect use of space- it makes more efficient use of warehouse space and
processing plant facilities due to improved produce turnover and
sustained supply of raw materials commensurate to the capacity of the
processing plant.
 Faster means of getting cash- it also means faster turn-over of capital.
Acceleration of ripening will allow a seller to dispose more fruits any given
time instead of waiting for fruits to ripen naturally. Small farmers and retailers
usually ripen cooking bananas with carbide to be able to sell fruits quickly for
the needed cash.
 Takes advantage of transient price increases- prices are higher during early,
late or off-season, or when the supply is low such as after a typhoon. This is
the usual reason for accelerating the ripening of seasonally available fruits and
fruit vegetables.
THANK YOU!