Characterization and Correlation Analysis of Physical and Physico-Chemical Properties of Cambucá Fruits (Plinia edulis)

Abstract

Aims: This study was to characterize and correlate physical and physico-chemical properties of cambucá fruits (Plinia edulis).
 Study Design: Experimental design was completely randomized with fifteen samples of five fruits each.
 Place and Duration of Study: Experimental orchard of the Department of Plant Science, Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), located in the municipality of Viçosa, Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais during the month of February 2015.
 Methodology: Fruits were sampled when 100% of peels presented yellow-orange color. The following characteristics were evaluated: longitudinal and transverse diameter, total mass of both pulp and seed, pulp color, soluble solids, titratable acidity, soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio, ascorbic acid and carotenoids contents. To verify the degree of correlation between two physico-chemical variables, a Pearson analysis was performed.
 Results: Cambucá fruits showed average values of longitudinal and transverse diameter of 37.76 and 44.36 mm, respectively. Fruits’ average mass were 44.12 g and the percentage of pulp was 82.15%. Both soluble solids and titratable acidity presented the respective average values: 10.53 ºBrix, 1.34 mg of citric acid and 100 mL-1 of pulp. Larger cambucá fruits presented higher pulp yield and lower acidity. The increase in ascorbic acid was positively correlated with the contents of soluble solids and carotenoids.
 Conclusion: Fruits of cambucá have potential for commercialization, their characteristics are similar to those found in other fruit species native to the Myrtaceae family and already found in the fruit market.