Abstract

Dabai (Canarium odontophyllum Miq.) is an indigenous fruit to East Malaysia, Palawan (Philippines) and Sumatra (Indonesia). The fruits are hard, and locals prepare the fruit by seeping it in about 50°C water for 15 to 20 min to soften the flesh and eaten with salt and/or sugar. It is hypothesized; and exogenous ethylene could be used as an alternative method to soften the fruit. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine postharvest quality of dabai fruit using 0, 10, 50 and 100 ml/L of exogenous ethylene exposed for 0, 24, 48 and 72 h at 27°C. Carbon dioxide production in ethylene treated dabai fruit followed a pattern, in that as concentration of exogenous ethylene increased, the carbon dioxide production decreased. Exogenous ethylene induced production of endogenous ethylene with highest ethylene production at 24 h exposure among four ethylene exposure duration. The skin and flesh colour of dabai fruit changed as ethylene exposure duration progressed. Exogenous ethylene affected dabai fruit firmness significantly while soluble solids concentration increased as exposure duration advanced. The titratable acidity of dabai fruit increased irrespective of exogenous ethylene concentration and exposure duration. In contrast, pH of dabai fruit decreased as ethylene exposure duration progressed. In short, dabai fruit is sensitive to ethylene at tropical temperature of 27°C.

Key words: Ethylene production, carbon dioxide, softening, colour, soluble solids concentration.