Mechanical damage is a major cause of post-harvest losses in banana fruits resulting in reduced shelf-life and nonacceptance of the fruit by the consumer.
Quality of fruits is a major determinant for the consumer’s willingness to purchase. Studies have shown that cosmetic damages in bananas resulted in poor consumer acceptance and marketability. Mechanical stresses is one of the major factors for the post-harvest quality deterioration.
Banana fruits show physical and physiological responses to mechanical damages that are mainly linked to the appearance, with advanced symptoms of necrosis in the damaged region. Mechanical injuries caused higher enzyme activity in affected area followed by alterations in colour and flavour, tissue softening, faster ripening, increased weight loss, increased invasion of microorganisms, and higher enzyme activity in the affected area.
Also, in response to certain types of stress, there is also an increased activity of enzymes responsible for defensive mechanisms of plant tissues, such as peroxidase, which is connected to the synthesis of lignin and polyphenol oxidase, which is involved in the darkening of the damaged region, as a result of the oxidation of phenols.
Mechanical damage expedited ripening and influenced the rate of conversion of starch into total soluble sugars (TSS) in the pulp.
Mechanical damage of bananas
