The product. Aonla (Emblicaofficinalis Geartn), the king of arid fruits, popularlyknown as “Indian gooseberry”, is a small-sized minor subtropicalfruit grown widely in North India. India ranks first in the worldin aonla area and production volume. It is considered to be a “wonderfruit for health” because of its unique properties. Uses.Aonla fruit is very useful in treating many diseases such as diabetes,cough, asthma, bronchitis, headache, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence,skin diseases, leprosy, jaundice, scurvy, diarrhea and cancer. Packaging.Different packaging materials such as nylon net, perforated polyethylene bags,ventilated corrugated fiber boxes, gunny bags, wooden crates, etc.,can be used for prolonging the storage life of fruit. Storage.Refrigerated storage helps in enhancing the storage life of fruit. Value addition. There are numerous products such as aonlasquash, candy, jam, chutney, etc., which are prepared from aonlafruit. Inclusion of these products in the diet definitely helpsin improving the nutritional value of Indian meals. Discussion.The low cost of the products as well as good sensory, nutritionaland shelf life qualities mean that processed aonla products areappropriate for commercialization. In order to obtain a good incomefrom aonla, it must be sold immediately in the market; if not, tomake profit, proper storage facilities should be available.

Introduction. Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceumL.) is a kind of tropical fruit with high commercial value ininternational trade. However, harvested rambutan fruits suffer from ashort shelf life and show rapid postharvest deterioration problems dueto spintern browning and flesh decay. Materials andmethods. Rambutan fruit (cv. ‘Baoyan 5’) were harvestedin 2009 and 2010. Changes in some chemical components and thephysiology of fruits were investigated at different storagetemperatures (25 °C and 10 °C) and with different packing materials(regular low-density polyethylene and anti-moisture polyethylenebags). Results and discussion. Changes in the developmentof the browning index, and contents of total soluble solids,titratable acidity and vitamin C greatly decreased during lowtemperature storage (10 °C); moreover, low temperature storage (10 °C)could maintain a significantly higher level of superoxide dismutaseactivity and lower values of malondialdehyde and cell membranepermeability. The effects of packing material were different accordingto the different storage temperatures. At 10 °C, the beneficialeffects of anti-moisture polyethylene bags on fruit quality andphysiology were observed. However, at 25 °C, fruit packed with regularlow-density polyethylene proved to be of better quality than thosepacked with anti-moisture polyethylene bags. Conclusion.The overall results suggest that packing with anti-moisturepolyethylene bags and storage at 10 °C were the most suitableconditions to maintain quality and to extend the storage life oframbutan fruit.

Introduction. Because of the long transportation times and storage durationsthat are often experienced, it is important to understand how pomelo properties changeover time; that will be indicative of how long samples can be stored before they dropbelow acceptable quality limits. As no information is available regarding storage ofpomelo fruit in the literature, the goal of our work was to study the change in pomelophysicochemical and textural properties following storage over a period of approximately4 months. Materials and methods. The changes in physical, chemical andtextural properties of commercial pomelo fruit were extensively evaluated over the courseof a 4-month storage period. The correlation among physical, color, chemical and texturalproperties were also assessed. Results. Color properties(L*, a*, b*) changed significantly withstorage; however, they did not change much during the initial 45 days of storage. Thechange in soluble solids content (SSC), acidity (A) and the [(SSC) / (A)] ratio suggestedthat pomelo fruit should not be stored for more than 75 days. Crucially, our studydemonstrates that the a* parameter (greenness, R = –0.556) correlatesbest with the chemical property the [(SSC) / (A)] ratio, which is a recognized measurementof the consumer acceptability of citrus fruit. This means that measuringa* is a non-destructive way of monitoring the taste characteristics ofpomelos in storage. This property also correlated well with the average firmness of thefruit and with the flesh texture. Conclusion. This fundamental information onthe pomelo fruit could prove useful in the physical handling and processing of the fruitby breeders and postharvest technologists as well as distributors, market agents,importers and exporters.

Introduction.Peach brown rot caused by the fungus Monilinia fructicola is a major disease leadingto considerable economic loss during storage. Our previous studyuncovered the striking inhibition of the natural alkaloid berberineagainst M. fructicola. Materials and methods.A berberine-chitosan composite membrane (BCCM) able to slowly releaseberberine was prepared and used for peach preservation. The examinedfruits were stored at 4 °C and treated as follows: (I) control fruits withoutpackaging; (ii) fruits that were transiently immersed in pre-solidifiedBCCM liquid and taken out; (iii) fruit coating either with a BCCM,or with a membrane containing chitosan only (without berberine),and (iv) fruit coating with a PVC membrane. Results and discussion.The group immersed in BCCM showed a high infection rate due to thecytotoxicity of acetic acid, but the coating group showed only a10% infection rate after 40 days of storage. Moreover, the BCCM-coatinggroup showed a significantly lower infection rate than that coatedwith chitosan membrane (without berberine), clearly indicating theantimicrobial activity of berberine therein. Consequently, packedin BCCM and stored at 4 °C, peach fruits could be well preservedover 40 days with very low infection. Conclusion. Consideringits safety and low cost, the berberine-containing chitosan composite membranecould be applicable in controlling diseases during peach storage.

The product. Coconut water (Cocosnucifera L.) is an ancient tropical beverage whose originalproperties have drawn the attention of manufacturers as a naturalfunctional drink. Preservation. This refreshing liquidcomes mainly from immature coconuts which are difficult to collect,store and thus to commercialise. Nevertheless, some studies, mostlyfrom Asian countries, tend to prove that the shelf life of immaturecoconut fruits could be prolonged thanks to post-harvest treatments. Processing. Coconut water itself, extracted from thenut, is obviously easier to handle but is also very sensitive tobiological and chemical injuries. Thermal treatment combined withchemical additives are already used by the industry but other technologiessuch as micro-and ultrafiltration are not yet available on anindustrial scale. Whatever the process, taste, aroma and colour(linked to enzymatic activities) are still difficult to control. Discussion. Resultsof former and recent investigations are discussed. Finally, suggestionsare made for further research to increase our knowledge of thisoriginal tropical juice.

Introduction. Kiwifruit is a typical climacteric fruit, which grows profitably well in sub-temperate climatic conditions. The major problem with kiwifruit is that it does not ripen for about a week at room temperature but after this period there is a sudden rise in the respiration rate and fruits remain in edible condition for only a few days, giving it a very short shelf life in ambient conditions. Materials and methods. Kiwifruits were treated with different concentrations of spermine [(0.5, 1.0 and 1.5) mM] and spermidine [(1.0, 1.5 and 2.0) mM] by the immersion method; biochemical and physiological analyses were carried out, then fruit were stored in ambient conditions for 15 days. Results and discussion. Polyamine-treated fruits did not show any amount of ethylene evolution up to the 6th day of storage as compared with those of control, in which it started after the 3rd day of storage. The respiration rate was also the lowest in treated fruit. Similarly, polygalacturonase and lipoxygenase activities rose rapidly in control fruits in comparison with polyamine-treated fruits. Conclusion. The doses of spermine at 1.5 mM and spermidine at 2.0 mM showed the best results in extending the shelf life of kiwifruits when stored in ambient conditions [(22 ± 4) ◦C, RH: (65 ± 5)%].

Introduction Fruit quality characteristics are governed by preharvest factors, mainly climate, nutrition and plant bio-regulators, of which the latter two can easily be manipulated in the grower’s interest. Likewise, the postharvest treatments with the best performance can maintain quality during storage and distribution. Therefore, it is important to embrace a holistic approach to combine the pre- and postharvest practices in view of attaining maximum quality and satisfaction at the consumer level. Materials and methods. Various combinations of mineral nutrients (calcium and boron) and bio-regulators (salicylic acid and gibberellic acid) were applied at the pre- and postharvest stages of apple fruits to study their influence on postharvest behavior of these fruits during 60 days of storage under ambient conditions. Results and discussions Among the different treatments tried, fruits treated with either salicylic acid or calcium showed significant improvement with regards to improved physico-chemical characteristics and reduced fruit infection percentage. Integration of pre- and postharvest application of chemicals was verified as the most effective choice for the improvement of shelf life of apple fruits amongst the treatment combinations applied either at the pre- or postharvest stage. The application of salicylic acid in combination with calcium or boron renders an alternative to the use of fungicides to control decay during apple fruit storage.

Introduction. Food processing significantly lowers the quality of fruits andvegetables, which is a major concern for the food industry. Micronutrients areparticularly affected, and among them β-carotene, which exhibits veryinteresting sensory, nutritional and biological properties. The literature concerningβ-carotene degradation is extensive, but the conclusions are verydifferent as a function of the biological, chemical and food transformation points ofview. This paper proposes a synthesis of complementary approaches in the study ofβ-carotene during food transformation and storage. Degradationreactions. Degradation compounds are numerous, including isomers, epoxides,apocarotenones, apocarotenals and short-chain cleavage products, among them some flavourcompounds. A detailed reaction scheme of isomerisation and autoxidation ofβ-carotene could be deduced from the literature data. The main pathwaysare well documented, but the global reaction scheme is still incomplete. Furthermore, mostof the mechanistic studies are carried out in model systems, thus data may misrepresentβ-carotene behaviour in real food products. Kinetics duringprocessing and storage The determination of degradation kinetics permits theidentification of the fastest reactions,i.e., generallythose with the greatest impact, and also the quantification of the effect of the factorswhich can lower β-carotene content. Temperature, occurrence of oxygen,food composition and food structure are shown to affect the β-caroteneloss rate significantly. However, the methodologies used to obtain the kinetic parametersare of major importance, and finally, most of the results found in the literature arespecific to a study and difficult to generalise. Discussion and conclusion.Mechanistic and kinetic approaches each provide interesting data to improve understandingand monitoring of β-carotene. The combination of all this data, togetherwith thermodynamic and analytical considerations, permits the building of observablereaction schemes which can further be transcribed through mathematical models. By thismultidisciplinary approach, scarcely used for the time being, knowledge could becapitalised and useful tools could be developed to improve β-caroteneretention during food processing and storage.

Introduction. Films act as semi-permeable gaseous barriers capable of maintaining fruit postharvest quality; thus coatings consisting of non-traditional sources may represent an alternative tool for producers. The objective of our work was to investigate the effect of a galactomannan coating on postharvest quality and physiology of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mangoes. Materials and methods. Physiologically mature mangoes were divided into four lots and stored for 16 d. Control uncoated fruits (lot 1) were stored at ambient temperature (25 °C), the second lot was uncoated and refrigerated (14 °C), the third lot was coated and stored at ambient temperature, and the fourth lot was coated and refrigerated. Fruit were analyzed for physicochemical quality parameters, antioxidant enzymatic activity and lipid peroxidation. Results and discussion. Control fruit (lot 1) lost almost twice the weight of uncoated refrigerated (lot 2) and coated mangoes at both temperatures (lots 3 and 4); the fruit of lot 1 softened faster. Regarding the antioxidant enzymes, the activity of superoxide dismutase decreased throughout storage without statistical differences between treatments and catalasic activity was significantly inhibited under refrigeration. At ambient temperature, coating delayed the catalasic activity peak to day 12, which was coincident with the lowest lipid peroxidation degree, evidencing the association of free radical production and scavenging mechanisms. The galactomannan coating was efficient in reducing weight loss and delaying softening; thus, it maintained quality of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mangoes for a longer period of time than the control treatment during storage at ambient temperature. Refrigeration (14 °C) enhanced the performance of the galactomannan coating; it was effective in slowing down the metabolism and delaying softening to day 12.

Introduction The effect of temperature on the stability of three purified anthocyanin sources in a soft drink (pH 3, 10 °Brix) stored at (4, 20, 30 and 50) °C for 60 days was investigated. Materials and methods. Anthocyanins from Andean blackberries (Rubus glaucus Benth.), açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and black carrot (Daucus carota L.) were purified and concentrated on a laboratory scale by adsorption to a styrene divinylbenzene copolymer. Two classical empirical approaches (Arrhenius and Ball models) were used to describe the thermal degradation kinetic of these three anthocyanins. Results. No degradation was detected during the refrigerated storage (4 °C). At all temperatures, the degradation rate constant (k) for black carrot anthocyanins was less than those in açai and blackberry (0.42  ×  10-2, 0.77  ×  10-2 and 1.08  ×  10-2).d-1 respectively, at 30 °C). Anthocyanins in black carrot degraded less rapidly than those in açai and Andean blackberry. The activation energy (Ea) for degradation of black carrot anthocyanins was (63.2  ±  4.3) kJ.mol-1, and (66.3  ±  2.7) kJ.mol-1 and (91.2  ±  0.4) kJ.mol-1 for açai and blackberry anthocyanins, respectively, at 20–50 °C. These higher Ea of blackberry anthocyanins as compared with those of black carrot and açai imply that a small temperature increase is sufficient to degrade them more rapidly. Conclusion. Our results clearly showed that anthocyanins from black carrot have a good stability during thermal storage (4 °C to 50 °C) with regard to blackberry and açai anthocyanins. Acylation of black carrot anthocyanins probably explains their greater stability. Acylated anthocyanins have shown to be promising alternatives to the use of synthetic dyes in drink systems

Introduction. Rose apple fruit ripens on the tree, has a thin peel, softflesh and deteriorates quickly after harvest. Water loss contributes to rapiddeterioration. 1-MCP can extend the postharvest life of non-climacteric fruits eitherdirectly through its effect as an ethylene blocker or through indirect effects.Materials and methods. We investigated the effect of 1-MCP(1 µL·L–1) on shelf life and quality of Rose apple fruits (Syzygiumjambos Alston) cv. Tabtim Chan. Fruit were exposed to 1-MCP for (0, 6, 12, 18or 24) h, then stored at (15 ± 1) °C for 12 days. Subsequently, we investigated the effectof 1-MCP (1 µL·L–1) for 12 h on fruit stored at 5 °C or 10 °C. Weight loss,skin colour, total soluble solids, fruit firmness and percentage of diseased fruit weremeasured during storage. Results. 1-MCP reduced weight loss from about 13% of initialweight to 6%, irrespective of the time of exposure. 1-MCP applied to fruit for 12 h or18 h increased firmness from 3.2 N to 3.8 N and more than halved the percentage of fruitshowing disease. Exposure to 1-MCP for 12 h or 18 h was optimum for reducing disease.1-MCP for 12 h and storage at (10 ± 1) °C doubled shelf life to 24 days compared withfruit stored at the same temperature, but without 1-MCP. Storage at less than 10 °C didnot extend shelf life any further. Conclusion. 1-MCP extended the shelf lifeof Rose apple fruit by reducing weight loss, maintaining flesh firmness and slowingdisease development.

Introduction. The peel of bananas that ripen at ≥ 24 ℃ does not turn fullyyellow, but retains a green colour, reducing the commercial value of the fruit.Historically, in experimental studies of this problem, fruit are ripened at constanttemperatures; for example, either 20 ℃ or 30 ℃. In our experiments, we systematicallyvaried the temperature of banana storage during ripening to investigate early events inripening that may determine whether or not the peel remained green. Materials andmethods. Fruits were exposed to temperatures of 20 ℃ or 30 ℃ for short periodsbefore then storing at 30 ℃ or 20 ℃ to complete ripening. The L* a* b*colour system was used to measure change in green colour in the banana peel.Results. If the temperature of the fruit stored was 20 ℃ for the first fewhours (≥ 14 h), then the peel became fully yellow, even in fruit subsequently ripened at30 ℃. Conversely, if the temperature of the bananas stored was 30 ℃ for the first fewhours of ripening, then full yellow colour was not obtained even if fruits weresubsequently ripened at 20 ℃. Conclusion. The temperature of the first few hours of bananaripening determines whether or not the peel reaches full yellow colour.

Introduction. RNA isolation is a prerequisite to studying gene expression in banana and to understanding changes occurring in response to the environment. Standard extraction methods do not efficiently extract RNA from plants such as banana, with high levels of phenolics, carbohydrates, or other compounds that bind to and/or coprecipitate with RNA. Materials and methods. Five to seven RNA extraction methods were compared. Four crown-tissue storage methods were also compared. cDNA-AFLP was used to ensure that the obtained RNA was of sufficient quality for molecular applications and that RNA expression was unaltered by in situ storage. Results and discussion. The modified hot-borate method proved to be the best RNA extraction method, allowing high yields of good quality, undegraded RNA from the crown, fruit peel and pulp at all stages of ripening. The RNA obtained by this method was of sufficient quality for molecular applications such as cDNA-AFLP that give highly reproducible results. Freeze-drying of fresh tissues and tissue conservation in hot-borate buffer, two original storage methods, appear appropriate for preserving RNA in situ without ultra-low temperature. The RNA obtained was of high quality, undegraded, and useful for all downstream applications. The genome expression profile obtained by cDNA-AFLP analysis was unaltered by these methods for storing collected tissues. Conclusion. By applying all the suggested procedures in this work, it is possible to store and study gene expression in any banana fruit tissue, whatever the maturity stage, without affecting the RNA expression level.

Introduction. In Iran, sour orange is available between mid-October and March. Frequently, consumers store a large volume of unpasteurized juice at room or low temperatures for consumption when the fresh fruit is not available. The aim of our research was to determine the shelf life of unpasteurized sour orange juice which was stored under conditions similar to those adopted by consumers at home. Materials andmethods. Sour orange juice was prepared by hand-squeezing fresh fruit; it was filtered, and then poured into clear or dark green glass bottles. Bottles were stored at room temperature [(28 ± 2) °C], in the refrigerator [(4 ± 1) °C] and in the freezer [(–12 ± 1) °C] for 12 weeks. Additional samples were prepared by supplementing juice with 2% (w/w) citric acid and they were stored in the refrigerator. Total soluble solids and pH values were measured every 2 weeks and analysis was carried out on ascorbic acid content by means of the titration method in the presence of 2,6–dichlorophenol indophenol. The study was performed for 12 weeks. Resultsand discussion. Total soluble solids content and pH value of the initial juice were 11.5 °Brix and 3.18, respectively. pH appeared not to be significantly influenced by storage time or conditions; however, total soluble solids content in a few samples was reduced to about 9.5 °Brix. The initial ascorbic acid content was 130 mg·100 mL–1; after 2 weeks, it was reduced by nearly 50% for all unfrozen samples. The final concentration of ascorbic acid in the juice was approximately 20 mg·100 mL–1, regardless of storage conditions. The deteriorative reaction of ascorbic acid in the juice at each temperature experienced followed a first-order kinetic model with activation energy of 2.67 kJ·mol–1.

Introduction. Conventional evaluation of Musa through multilocation trials has often been carried out to ascertain the yield stability and ecological range of new varieties but, for prospective growers, it is equally important to know the fruit characteristics and ripening pattern of the genotypes. Indeed, fruit characteristics determine consumers’ attitudes towards the new varieties, and the associated market value of these varieties. Materials and methods. The metric traits and ripening pattern of fruits from nine Musa hybrids and one local variety of plantain were evaluated during two cropping seasons in a sub-humid environment in Nigeria. Results. All the traits measured varied with the genotype, but cropping cycle influenced only fruit weight and days to complete senescence of fruits. The interaction between genotype and cropping cycle was significant on fruit weight, fruit length and days to attain four different ripening stages. Most genotypes had better values in the ratoon harvest than in the plant crop. Fruit length and shape of PITA 21 were comparable with those of the local check, but the index of edible proportion was highest in PITA 22. PITA 21 and PITA 26 had the longest green life and total shelf life. Conclusion. The genotypes evaluated in our study revealed different utilization potentials. Also, the better postharvest life of some of the hybrids and comparable metric traits with the local check suggested the high adoption potential of the hybrids.

Introduction. Olive processing in producing countries, such as Iran, is often not well synchronized with crop harvests due to the number and size of the oil-extraction facilities. After harvest, olives might be piled in heaps and stored at ambient temperatures for up to several weeks and, during this period, the greatest deterioration takes place. Therefore, the green olive processing industry is interested in the use of an alternative to the above pre-processing storage method for fresh olives. Materials and methods. Green olives cvs. Blady, Conservolea Mission and Shengeh were harvested at the mature green stage and stored at (5, 10 and 20) °C for 10–15 weeks to evaluate their postharvest physiology and quality changes. In the second year of the experiment, olives were treated with 1-MCP at concentrations of (0.45, 0.9 and 1.8) µL·L–1 at 20 °C for 24 h and stored at 5 °C. Olive quality was measured periodically for skin color, fresh firmness, mass loss and fruit deterioration. Results and discussion. Generally, storage of olive fruits at (5, 10 and 20) °C caused a decrease in flesh firmness, but fruit softening was faster in fruits stored at (20 and 10) °C than in fruits at 5 °C. Olives stored for 60 d at 5 °C showed no symptoms of chilling injury whatever the cultivar. Olive cultivars retained satisfactory firm flesh above 2 kg for 60 d at 5 °C, 30 d at 10 °C and 15 d at 20 °C. After 60 d of storage, red skin color development did not progress much with fruits stored at 5 °C, but there was a significant difference with the other temperature treatments. However, cv. Shengeh developed red skin color greater and sooner than other cultivars did. In the second year of the experiment, 1-MCP treatment effectively reduced loss of firmness for fruits stored at 5 °C for 15 weeks. Application of (0.9 and 1.8) µL 1-MCP·L-1 was sufficient to delay significantly olive softening and color changes (P < 0.05), compared with control untreated fruits. Conclusion. Conservolea, Mission and Blady olive cvs. can be stored for up to 60 d at 5 °C and this could be extended to 15 weeks when fruits are treated with (0.9 and 1.8) µL 1-MCP·L-1 before storage.

Introduction. Açaí is a common palm in the Amazon River basin, from which a much-appreciated drink is prepared in the North of Brazil. Despite the strong increase in the drink market, some basic questions about the fruit postharvest physiology have not been properly studied. Our paper presents results about the fruit water absorption at different temperatures and times of storage, which may help the development of more efficient procedures for fruit transport and processing. Materials and methods. The experiments began approximately 3 h after harvest of fruits collected early in the morning. In a first experiment, to evaluate the effect of temperature on water absorption, fruits were submitted to five treatments: 0 °C, 6 °C, 12 °C, 26 °C and 39 °C. Each treatment was applied to 50 fruits, with four repetitions. Fruits from each lot were put into a beaker with water at the temperature of the selected treatment. Lots were weighed before immersion and every 10 min up to 60 min. The fruit relative increase in mass (dMasserel) was calculated according to experiment time. In a second experiment, to evaluate the effect of storage, fruits collected at the same spot were immediately stored in the lab at 10 °C under relative air humidity of 81% to 87%. After (5, 6 and 7) days of storage, the dMasserel curves were determined. Results and discussion. Between 0 °C and 26 °C, the absorption reaches an asymptote after 30 min, and at 39 °C, the absorption continues to increase for a longer period. The maximum (dMasserel) regarding the temperature was fitted by a parabole, with a minimum at 13 °C. Fruits stored at 10 °C presented an increase in the absorption rate after the fifth day. Conclusion. Our data suggest that: (i) water absorption is minimum at 13 °C; (ii) the imbibition rate is temperature-related, and (iii) fruit stored at 10 °C, and relative humidity 81% to 87%, increases its water absorption rate at the end of the shelf-life time (5th day).

This paper presents a hydrogen storage system using metal hydrides for a Combined Heat and Power CHP) system. Hydride storage technology has been chosen due to project specifications: high volumetric capacity, low pressures (<3.5 bar) and low temperatures (<75 °C: fuel cell temperature). During absorption, heat from hydride generation is dissipated by fluid circulation. An integrated plate-fin type heat exchanger has been designed to obtain good compacity and to reach high absorption/desorption rates. At first, the storage system has been tested in accordance with project specifications (absorption/desorption 3.5/1.5 bar). Then, the hydrogen charge/discharge times have been decreased to reach system limits. System design has been used to simulate thermal and mass comportment of the storage tank. The model is based on the software Fluent. We take in consideration heat and mass transfers in the porous media and a convective flow for cooling/heating the system during absorptions/desorptions. The hydride thermal and mass comportment has been integrated in the software. The heat and mass transfers experimentally obtained have been compared to results calculated by the model.

Afin de démontrer la faisabilité du stockage de l'hydrogène grâce à l'hydrure de magnésium activé, un réservoir de 250 cm3 contenant 120 g d'hydrure a été réalisé. Le magnésium réagit avec l'hydrogène de façon réversible et absorbe jusqu'à 7,6 % massique. Le fonctionnement de ce réservoir fait l'objet de cette étude. Le logiciel Fluent a été utilisé pour le modéliser numériquement. Le code s'appuie sur des conditions aux limites et certaines données thermiques déduites de l'expérience. La pression est considérée comme homogène dans le réservoir. Les simulations sont en accord avec l'expérience dans les domaines de température et de pression favorables à une charge ou une décharge du réservoir rapide.

The plant. The aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa L. f.) is an Amazonian palm which grows naturally on flooded soils, forming dense gatherings called aguajales in Peru. It can reach a height of 35–40 m. Each tree has an average of 8 inflorescences per year and each inflorescence produces about 900 fruits. This palm is in the domestication process. A dwarf form, recently discovered, could permit the improvement of the methods of production. The fruit. The fruit is an ellipsoid oval-shaped drupe, covered by red or dark red-coloured cornea scales. It measures (5 to 7) cm long and (4 to 5) cm in diameter. The pulp has a high content of β-carotene (260 mg·100 g–1 of pulp). Marketing. Marketing is carried out for fruits coming from the natural environment. There is a local consumption of approximately 150 t·month–1 and it can be of raw or processed fruit. For this fruit’s demand, it is necessary to cut down approximately 24 000 palms a year. Discussion. The aguaje has big social and economical importance to these regions' inhabitants. It represents great potential for the national as well as the international market. The Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon (IIAP) is devel-oping technologies for agronomical management of the species, and for production and proc-essing of the fruit. Studies on aguaje growth and genetic diversity in the natural conditions also have to be carried out.