THEORETICAL RESEARCH ON THE QUALITY PARAMETERS OF FRESH STRAWBERRIES

Abstract

The paper presents some theoretical aspects regarding the quality parameters of strawberries. These are the first fruits that appear in spring and are highly sought after for their rich content in: sugars 4.5-9.5%, organic acids 0.72-1.91%, protein 0.10-0.51%, mineral salts 0.94-1.74%, vitamin C 42-106 mg%, vitamins A, B1, B2, PP. Strawberries are part of the category of extremely perishable fruits and are distinguished by a low structo-textural firmness, delicate tissues, thin skin, high water content. Intense respiration and a large surface area of contact with the environment, so the duration of maintaining their quality, even in optimal conditions of temperature and relative humidity of the air, is 2-5 days. They are very sensitive to high temperatures and pressures that occur during harvesting, handling, storage.