Pepino

MATURITY & QUALITY

Maturity Indices

Pepino dulce (Solanum muricatum Ait.) should be harvested when ripe (yellow) to have the best flavor quality. Skin color changes with ripening from green to pale white to cream to yellow (with purple stripes). Pepinoes soften as they ripen.

Quality Indices

• Fruit shape varies from round to elongate and length varies from 5 to 20cm, depending on cultivar and number of fruit/plant.
• Skin color (yellow to golden-yellow) and flesh color (light orange).
• Freedom from defects (such as sunburn and bruising) and decay.
• Juiciness (more than 40% juice)
• Sweetness (soluble solids range from 6-12%; minimum acceptability at 10% or higher.
• Titratable acidity is low (0.04-0.10%); citric acid is predominant.
• Vitamin C content varies among cultivars from 30 to 70mg/100g fresh weight.

TEMPERATURE & CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE (CA)

Optimum Temperature

7.5-10° C (45-50°F); storage potential = 4-6 weeks, depending on cultivar and ripeness stage.

Optimum Relative Humidity

90-95%

Rates of Respiration

8-12ml CO₂/kg·hr at 20°C (68°F); non-climacteric respiratory pattern

To calculate heat production multiply ml CO₂ /kg·hr by 440 to get Btu/ton/day or by 122 to get kcal/metric ton/day.

Rates of Ethylene Production

Less than 0.1 ml/kg·hr at 20°C (68°F)

Responses to Ethylene

Exposure to 10-100ppm ethylene stimulates chlorophyll degradation (loss of green color) and respiration rate of mature-green pepino fruit, but has no effect fully ripe (yellow) fruit.

Responses to Controlled Atmospheres (CA)

No published Information.