Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Abstract

Postharvest Physiology and Storage of Golden Apple (Spondias cytherea sonnerat or Spondias dulcis forst): A Review

Mohammed M, Bridgemohan P, Mohamed MS, Bridgemohan RSH and Mohammed Z

The golden apple (Spondias dulsis forst. syn. Spondias cytherea Sonn.) originated in the Society of Islands in the South Pacific and widely distributed in the Caribbean, Florida Keys, Hawaii, Venezuela and Central America and has successfully adapted as a natural part of the landscape and diet. Golden apple fruits at the mature-green, semi-ripe and ripe stages of maturity are utilized in the fresh and processed states and are a major export fruit and foreign exchange earner for many Caribbean islands. The fruit is an ovoid drupe with a spiny stone, climacteric in nature and exists in two forms: the large type (diameter 5-6 cm, length 9-10 cm, average weight 200 g) and the miniature or dwarf type (diameter 4-5 cm, length 5-6 cm, average weight 65 g). Golden apple fruits stored under ambient conditions require 6-9 days to undergo ripening from the mature-green stage to the golden yellow full ripe stage compared to storage under refrigerated conditions where an additional 6-10 days are needed to achieve the same objective. Mature-green fruits have a total soluble solids (TSS) content of 4.6-10.9%, total titratable acidity (TTA) of 0.45-1.07% and TSS/ TTA of 7.7-19.1. Fully ripened fruits on the other hand have 9-16.3% TSS, 0.53-1.16% TTA and 8.7-22.4 TSS: TTA. Golden apple fruits are an excellent source of antioxidants with phenolic compounds averaging 349.5 mg gallic acid per 100 g-1 fresh weight and vitamin C of 52.0 mg per 100-1 fresh weight. Golden apple fruit of both genetic lines are very sensitive to chilling injury (CI). Waxing effectively delayed the appearance of CI symptoms such as pitting. The ripened golden apple fruits are used to make jams, preserved jellies, nectars and sparkling beverages. Unripe fruits are eaten in curries, or as green salads, pickles, chutneys, sauces and amchar. More recently, the fruit skin has been recognized as a novel source of pectin and utilized as a gelling agent in jams, confectionary and bakery fillings as well as a stabilizer in yogurts and milk drinks.