Quality of the Pulp of Passion Fruit Produced in the Brazilian Savanna

Abstract

Because it is a species of tropical climate, the passion fruit is distributed widely in South America, mainly in Brazil. Its cultivation represents approximately 95% of the commercial orchards of the country, nevertheless, it presents productivity below its productive potential, being necessary to obtain cultivars adapted to the climate of the regions of culture. The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of the fruit pulp of yellow passion fruit produced in Jataí-GO as well as the correlations between some physical and chemical characteristics. The fruits were collected in an experimental orchard and sectioned transversely to obtain the pulp. The characteristics of acidity, vitamin C content, soluble solids content, soluble solids/acidity ratio (Ratio), and pulp color parameters were evaluated through the coordinates L*, a*, b*, C* and h* of yellow passion fruit and of the cultivar FB 200. Data were analyzed by means of analysis of variance and Pearson’s correlation at 5% of significance with the aid of the statistical program Rbio. It is concluded that the characteristics of the fruits of the cultivar FB200 differed from the fruits of yellow passion fruit and that these characteristics correlated significantly and positively.