Post-harvest conservation of chives at low temperature as a synonym for productive optimization

Abstract

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) is a spicy, aromatic, leafy plant, appreciated throughout Brazil, with an important social role, preponderant in family farming projects. Although it is a species with high leaf waxiness, a property that gives it a certain tolerance to dehydration, when placed in a domestic conservator, it discolors in a few days, compromising the quality of the product, resulting in considerable losses, especially for the consumer. In view of this, the present work sought to evaluate the post-harvest conservation of chive leaves submitted to low temperature conditioning. All processing took place in the laboratory of the Center for Studies, Research and Food Processing (NUEPPA) of the Center for Agricultural Sciences (CCA) of the Universidade Federal do Piauí, in Teresina, between August and November 2020. The treatments consisted of sample analysis withdrawn fortnightly up to the limit of 75 days, leaving the control treatment corresponding to the samples, recently collected, which were also submitted to determinations of a physical-chemical nature. Complementary verifications of a sensorial nature were carried out, involving color, aroma and texture, being then considered quality attributes. The refrigeration favored the extension of the useful life of the chives, without variation in the physical-chemical characteristics tested, demonstrating that it is possible to keep it in a refrigerator at low temperature (-20oC) packed in plastic bags for at least 75 days, without compromising the product quality; optimizing the use of family labor, creating prospects for the launch of a new product in the list of frozen products.