CLASSIFICAÇÃO PÓS COLHEITA DA BATATA

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) ranks third as a crop most important food in the globe, being still the first non-grain commodity to be traded on the exchanges (EMBRAPA, 2016). Potato consumption is carried out by more than a billion people, in the world daily, guaranteeing an area 18 million hectares, exceeding 330 million tons, in the production annual worldwide (EMBRAPA, 2016). The potato is a tuber with great value nutritional, as it is rich in carbohydrate, which is converted in the human body into energy. In South America, per capita consumption is practically stable over the past 20 years. In the countries of South America, there is a great heterogeneity among potato crops, which is an important factor feature. In addition, among these countries, Chile and Argentina stand out as holders of production with more technology. Brazil, by the end of the last decade, it had a low to medium level production technology, but this situation has been changing in recent years. An initial step for Brazil to achieve leadership in the global scenario is to reduce the costs of production through a property management shock (NAKANO; DELEO, 2006). However, a lot is still spent on fungicides and this greatly increases the cost of potato production in Brazil. With regard to Yara Brasil (2020), it was found that the fresh market for potatoes requires good looks and cooking quality and that these factors are dependent on the variety and cultivation management of potatoes. The market demands that fresh products, specifically tubers, are shaped and consistent size (4.6-8.4cm), in addition to good shells, free from any disease or spots. The dry matter (DM) content is also important, since tubers with an MS above 18-20% are more susceptible to injury and may disintegrate during cooking. Still, according to the article above mentioned, it was revealed that fresh potatoes are increasingly sold in the form of 'prepackaged'. However, potatoes with a lower rating are sold loose or in economical packaging. Qualified potato varieties for frying such as: Bintje, Baraka, Mondial, Monalisa, Omega and Asterix, are more commercially valued than varieties for pasta or cooking (CAMARGO FILHO and ALVES, 2005).