Effect of Maturity Stage Analysis on Post Harvest Physicochemical Characteristics and Mineral contents of Papaya (Carica papaya) Fruit grown in Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Shambu, Ethiopia

Abstract

Papaya is a power house of nutrients and is available throughout the year. Maturity at harvest is very important to composition and quality of papaya. The objective of this research was to analyze the effect of maturity stage on post harvest physicochemical characteristics and mineral contents of papaya fruit grown in Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Shambu, Ethiopia. The treatment consisted of papaya fruit samples at different stages with three levels (Ripe, Medium Ripe, and Unripe Papaya). The proximate composition of papaya were ranged from 17.68 to 18.06% for moisture, 0.78 to 3.03% for ash, 0.63 to 2.27% for fat, 5.39 to 6.68% for protein, 7.80 to 9.16% for crude fiber and 58.10 to 67.30% for carbohydrate. The firmness ranged from 4.40 to 6.40 kg/cm², 5.39 to 5.48 for PH, 6.03 to 10.22 ^obrix for total soluble solid and 15.08 to 23.50 for total sugars. The mineral contents were ranged from 1670 to 2006 mg/100g for phosphorous, 122.03 to 279.35 mg/100g for calcium and 32.37 to 44.39 mg/100g for ascorbic acids. Papaya fruit have high proximate composition, mineral contents and ascorbic acids in the three treatments for this study. Therefore, it is recommended to use ripe and medium ripe papaya fruit since it contains plenty of proximate composition and mineral. Furthermore, further research should be carried out by using this fruit for different food product development.

Keywords: Papaya, maturity stage, mineral and physicochemical characteristics