JPH0358745A - Method for retaining freshness of harvested fruit living body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To hold good quality for a period from a distribution process of a harvested fruit living body to over-the-counter sale in a retailing stage thereof by coating and covering the cut surface of the fruit axis in the harvested fruit living body with a specific silicate clay. CONSTITUTION:The cut surface of the fruit axis in a harvested fruit living body, such as melon, watermelon, apple, citrus fruits or grape, is preferably coated and covered with light cellular highly silicified silicate clay formed into an ointment shape by hydrating powdery clay. Furthermore, the coated surface is preferably covered with cotton and further a cylindrical unit, such as an aluminum foil.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for maintaining the freshness of harvested fruit to maintain good quality during the period from the distribution process to the over-the-counter sale at the retail stage.

Traditionally, various efforts have been made to prevent quality deterioration during the distribution process of melons, watermelons, and certain varieties of grapes, which are classified as high-quality fruits, but there are still some unsatisfactory precepts. No results have been obtained. In other words, in recent years, packaging materials called antioxidants and freshness-preserving films have been used as a means of delaying quality deterioration during the transportation process in refrigerators and retail sales at stores. The reality is that this is not being achieved.

Incidentally, fruit organisms imported from the United States and Southeast Asian countries have
Some pesticides that are prohibited in Japan are used to preserve freshness, and this has become an issue of international friction.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned situation, and it utilizes a specific silicate clay7 to improve the quality of fruit bodies with fruit axes after harvest over a long period of time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for preserving freshness to maintain the quality of freshness.

The present invention uses a soft porous highly silicified silicate in the fruit axis of the fruit body after harvesting of fruits such as melons, watermelons, apples, soots and grapes. It is characterized by being covered with white clay.

The soft porous highly silicified silicate clay used here (hereinafter abbreviated as silicate clay) is a 2:1 Montmorillonite 1 type clay mineral produced in Yasawagi, Akita Prefecture, and is a type of clay mineral called conventional zeolite. It has an unusually porous structure and highly swelling properties, so it has excellent adsorption properties.
It exhibits ion exchange ability and is used in various fields.

By the way, the reason that the crystallinity of fruit organisms with a fruit axis, as seen in melons, deteriorates during the distribution process or the period of over-the-counter sales is due to the production of 1/2 gas and hormones in the actual body tissues. It is said that this is due to the fact that JFT is forced to become more mature.

In the present invention, the cut surface at the time of harvest on the fruit axis (before harvest, this fruit axis connects the branch, stem, or vine to the fruit body and acts as a pipe for supplying nutrients) Apply the above-mentioned silicate clay powder or an ointment made by adding water to the (cut) area, and then cover it with something that has a high ability to impregnate and retain moisture, such as cotton, to further prevent moisture evaporation. To prevent this, for example, by covering the fruit with aluminum foil or the like, it is possible to maintain the biological tissue in a state of suspended animation and maintain its quality and freshness without cutting off the biological activity of the fruit.

The silicate clay used in the present invention has the functions described above, so when it is applied to the fruit axis as described above, water is purified and water quality deterioration and rot are prevented. That is, the impregnated water in the fruit axis produces an ionic 21-loidal solution by contacting with the silicate clay, and this colloidal solution is translocated to the fruit body through the fruit axis to maintain the activity of living tissue. It is estimated that quality and freshness can be maintained.

Incidentally, the impregnated water modified into the above colloidal solution is
Although it contains the effective form of neral nutrients released from silicate clay, it does not contain fertilizers and therefore does not promote ripening.

When harvesting living fruits such as melons and watermelons, it is preferable to cut them from the tree leaving not only the fruit axis but also a part of the vines connected to the axis. It is advisable to apply the powder by rubbing it in or by adding water to make it into an ointment, and then cover it as described above.

After applying the silicate clay, in the case of melons, watermelons, etc., it is preferable to cover them with something that has a high moisture impregnation and retention ability, such as cotton, to prevent water from dispersing. On top of that, I covered it with cylindrical aluminum foil,
It is best to close the opening with a thin string.

The fruit axis of citrus fruits such as apples and citrus fruits is woody, and the fruit axis of cherries is also woody, although it is small, so it is best to apply silicate clay and cover it using the following method.

After rolling out a rectangular cut cotton of an appropriate size and placing a piece of silicate clay powder in the center of the L,
Cut 1. Wrap the cotton in the cotton swab shape. Add water to the cotton swab and let it soak in thoroughly. The silicate clay in the center of the cut cotton becomes ointment-like.

This ointment-like silicate clay has a built-in cotton swab-like substance,
By inserting the tip of the fruit stalk (or fruit stalk) of apples, citrus fruits, and cherries, the scar is applied to and coated on the fruit stalk of the living fruit.

In this way, when the cut surface of the fruit axis of the harvested fruit is coated by rubbing silicate clay powder or by applying an ointment made by adding water to the powder, the fruit before harvest is It is thought that biological activities similar to those of living tissues, in which the resting liquid is transferred into the fruit body through the fruit axis, are carried out as if in a state of suspended animation.

That is, as mentioned above, the silicate clay impregnated with water generates an ionic colloidal solution, and the colloidal solution is translocated to the fruit body as a substitute for the tree resting liquid to maintain the activity of living tissues for a certain period of time. It is estimated that this makes it possible to maintain quality and freshness.

The present invention and its effects will be specifically explained below using Examples.

Example 1 A cantaloupe tree was grown with a part of both of its vines and a fruit axis (about 40 to 50 mm in total length) attached to it.
A thick layer of ointment made by adding a small amount of water to silicate clay was applied to the cut surface, the applied area was completely wrapped in aluminum foil, and a string was wrapped around the vine to cover it. When the amsmelon thus obtained was left at room temperature, its freshness was maintained even after 8 to 10 days had passed after harvesting, and no deterioration in quality was observed.

Incidentally, in amsu melons that were not subjected to the above treatment, the color of the cut ends of the vines turned brown due to water loss after one to one and a half days, or at most two days, after harvesting, resulting in a marked decrease in freshness.

Example 2 A watermelon is cut with a part of the vine attached in the same manner as in Example 1, silicate clay powder is rubbed into the cut end, hydrated cotton is coated on top of it, and this coated part is It was covered with aluminum foil formed into a cylinder and sealed with a thin string. The watermelon thus obtained showed no decrease in freshness even after 10 to 12 days had passed after harvesting, and had good quality and flavor.

Example 3 A large number of cotton swabs were made by spreading cut cotton, applying silicate clay powder to the center, and rolling it up into cotton swabs.
Water was added to the mixture to impregnate it, and the tips of the stalks of the harvested cherries were inserted one after another into a predetermined container to examine changes over time.

As a result, the shelf life was definitely extended by 3 to 5 days compared to the untreated product. Furthermore, when I put the cherry fruit in my mouth and chewed it, I felt the same hardness as fresh fruit.

Example 4 The fruit stems of grapes after harvest were treated in the same manner as described in Example 3, and the oral changes were examined, but the fruit stems remained bright green even after 8 days had passed since harvest. No deterioration in quality was observed. In addition, in the untreated fruit, the fruit shaft part exhibited browning close to black 1.5 to 2 days after harvest. In addition, the fruit body lost its firmness and began to become soft.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A method for maintaining the freshness of a harvested fruit organism, which comprises applying and covering the cut surface of the fruit axis of the harvested fruit organism with soft porous highly silicified silicate clay. (2) The method for maintaining the freshness of a living fruit according to claim (1), wherein the living fruit is a melon or a watermelon, and the fruit axis includes a part of a vine connected to the fruit axis. (3) The method for preserving the freshness of a living fruit according to claim (1), wherein the covering is performed by covering with cotton and further covering with a cylindrical body of aluminum foil. (4) The method for preserving the freshness of living fruits according to claim (1), wherein the soft porous highly silicified silicate clay is powdered and made into an ointment by adding water.