Development of fresh tomato, using the QFD (Quality Function Deployment) method, commercialized in a supermarketTo attend the consumer's requirements related to the fresh tomato, offering a product of quality and to reduce the post-harvest losses of the product, the QFD method was applied to the tomato commercialized in a supermarket. The potential use of this tool was appraised, as well as its applicability to an agricultural product, taking effect the QFD. The experiment was carried out at the Carrefour store in Campinas, Brazil. A product with the requirements demanded by the consumer was developed, having the 'Carmen' tomato (popularly known by long shelf life) as the rival, which retains the biggest share in market nowadays. At each step of the experiment, the decisions were taken, considering the inherent characteristics to the product and its relations with the methodology. The pilot lot, with characteristics demanded by the clients and suitable to the business strategy (supermarket), was evaluated with the consumers. The established goal in relation to quality was reached, as well as the aim related to losses. Losses were %. As to the preference test, in which the developed product and 'Carmen' tomato were compared, through sensorial analysis, the tomato developed by the QFD method was the favorite with 0,1% significance level. The results obtained proved the applicability of the QFD method to fresh agricultural products commercialized, and the expected benefits were reached.

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1 Recebido para publicação em 29/12/99. Aceito para publicação em 30/11/00. 2 UNICAMP, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola -Depto. Construções Rurais. Caixa Postal 6011, CEP 13083-970, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz" s/n, Campinas, SP. larissarcastro@softhome.net * A quem a correspondência deve ser enviada. RESUMOAvaliou-se cinco tipos de embalagens (duas plásticas, duas de papelão ondulado e a caixa K de madeira) quanto à proteção fornecida ao tomate variedade Santa Clara durante seu transporte e manuseio. Os tomates acondicionados em tais embalagens foram comparados com frutos controle, isto é, aqueles que não sofreram qualquer tipo de vibração, impacto ou choque, de acordo com a porcentagem daqueles contendo injúrias mecânicas e segundo também sua intensidade. Os tomates foram armazenados à temperatura ambiente por 7 dias, até atingirem 100% de coloração vermelha, e avaliados quanto à incidência de deterioração, perda de peso e sabor (analiticamente através da relação Brix/acidez titulável e por análise sensorial). Os resultados mostraram que os tomates localizados na parte inferior das caixas foram os mais prejudicados e que as ripas de madeira, ásperas e distantes entre si, assim como os pregos da caixa K, foram responsáveis pelos danos mais significativos. As avaliações apontaram a embalagem de papelão ondulado de menor tamanho como a de maior proteção contra injúrias mecânicas nos tomates.Palavras-chave: tomate; embalagem; manuseio pós-colheita; injúria mecânica. SUMMARY PACKAGING INFLUENCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MECHANICAL INJURIES IN TOMATOES. Five different packages(2 made of plastic, 2 of cardboard, and 1 made of wood) were evaluated with respect to the protection of tomatoes (Santa Clara variety) during their transportation and handling. These tomatoes were compared to control samples, as related to fruits with no physical impact or vibration, considering the percentage of those fruits with mechanical injuries and their severity. The fruits were stored at ambient temperature for 7 days until they reached full-color and then evaluated regarding the incidence of decay, weight loss, and flavor by Brix/acidity ratio and sensory analysis. The results have shown that the tomatoes on the bottom of the boxes had worse bruises and that the separated clapboards and the clues of wooden boxes caused the most severe injuries. The results also permitted the conclusion that there were less bruised tomatoes in the smaller cardboard package compared to the plastic and wooden boxes.Keywords: tomato; packages; postharvest handling; mechanical injury. -INTRODUÇÃOO tomate é um produto de grande relevância nutricional e econômica. Dentre os produtos hortifrutícolas, ele se destaca representando 23% de todo o volume comercializado no Entreposto Terminal de São Paulo CEAGESP [4]. Em nível mundial, GAYET et al [6], citam que dentre as hortaliças, o tomate registra o segundo maior volume de produção/consumo, sendo precedido pela batata e um pouco à frente da alface, com volume duas vezes maior que o da cebola. Segundo COSTA &...

RESUMOO presente trabalho avaliou o comportamento do milho verde armazenado em condições ambiente e refrigerada, submetido ou não a resfriamento anterior, usando-se dois tipos de filme plástico como embalagem. Foi instalado um experimento fatorial 2x2x2, com delineamento inteiramente casualizado. A avaliação da atividade metabólica foi efetuada pela determinação do teor de amido na instalação do experimento, a 24 e 48 horas de armazenamento. Para 24 horas de armazenamento houve diferença significativa a nível de 5% com o uso de pré-resfriamento e a 48 horas de armazenamento os tratamentos armazenados em condições ambientais, a temperatura média de 27°C, elevaram a teores de amido significativamente que aqueles armazenados sob refrigeração (10°C) a nível de 1%. A associação de filme plástico especial (poliolefinas, multicamadas, com alta permeabilidade a gases) e armazenamento refrigerado implicou em teores de amido significativamente inferiores aos obtidos com o uso de PVC esticável. Palavras-chave:Zea mays L., pós-colheita, embalagem, armazenamento INFLUENCE OF THE COOLING OF THE STORAGE CONDITIONS AND OF THE PACKAGE ON THE POSTHARVEST BEHAVIOUR OF SWEET CORN ABSTRACTThis study evaluated the behavior of sweet corn stored under ambient and refrigerated conditions, with or without precooling, using two kinds of plastic packages. A 2 x 2 x 2 in a completely randomised design factorial experiment was established. The metabolic activity was evaluated through determination of starch at the beginning of the experiment and after 24 and 48 hours of storage. For 24 hours of storage significant differences at 5% level were observed for precooling and for 48 hours treatments stored under ambient at 27 o C temperature increased starch content significantly in comparison to stored under refrigerated conditions (10º C) at probability level of 1%. The concurrent use of special plastic package (poliofime, multilayer with high permeability to gases) resulted in the least starch percentage compared to those obtained with stretchable PVC.