Storage of Green Plantains

Abstract

Studies were made of green plantain behavior when stored under various conditions to develop the best method of prolonging their shelf life without affecting their overall quality and processing characteristics. Freshly harvested green plantains start to ripen in about 7 days, reaching full ripeness 2 days later, when kept under room conditions at temperature of about 85° F. When stored in refrigerated chambers, plantains from the Guayamero and Maricongo cultivara remain green for 12 days, at which time signs of chilling damage begin to appear. However, the quality of plantains stored in these refrigerated chambers at 45° and 55° F. with relative humidities of 86 to 88 percent are definitely affected. At 45° F. a marked hardening of the fruits was observed and at 55° F., signs of false ripening appeared, impairing the quality of the produce. Shelf life of green plantains may be successfully prolonged, however, when thiobendazole-treated fruits are stored in sealed polyethylene bags containing an ethylene absorbent (about 200 g. of Purafil). TBZ was used in a 200-p.p.m. concentration to control mold growth. By using these combined techniques plantains were kept perfectly green for 25 days at room temperature (85° F.) and for 55 days under refrigeration (55° F.). This method had no detrimental effect on the stored fruit, as shown by the sensory evaluations of two processed products prepared from the stored green plantains at various intervals throughout the study. Tasters rated the samples as good or superior to similar products prepared from freshly harvested green fruit.