Evaluation of Some Processing Characteristics of Cultivated Guava Clones

Abstract

An evaluation of the processing characteristics of the fruit of cultivated guava clones was conducted in a two-stage study. The first stage consisted in pre-screening the cultivated clones using the percent soluble solids, pH, and color of the fruit pulp as criteria for selecting and combining the clones into representative samples. Eleven composite clonal samples were compared against a wild-fruit control. Pulp and nectar yields were determined and chemical analyses performed on each of the samples. Viscosity was used as a criterion for diluting the fruit pulps to nectar consistency. The canned nectar samples were appraised using a 9-point hedonic scale for scoring purposes. Nine of the 11 samples examined showed better stability during storage 85° F. (29.4° C.) than the control. Composite sample number 10 received the highest score and changed less in the 9-month storage period than other samples under study, also produced the highest pulp yield. In the second stage of the study, an individual evaluation was conducted on each of 13 new guava clones and a wild-fruit control. Pulp and nectar yields and chemical analyses were performed on each fruit sample. Pulp dilutions for nectar preparation were based on solid content rather than on viscosity. Samples were evaluated organoleptically using a 9-point hedonic scale. The keeping quality of seven of the cultivated guava clones appeared comparable to that of the wild fruit. Three of the samples, i.e., clones 57-9-114 (Rico 18), 57-2-142 (Rico 19), and 57-2-51 (Rico 20), were rated higher than the control. Clone number 57-2-142 (Rico 19) scored highest in the quality evaluation of 9-month storage at 85° F. (29.4° C). This clone also produced the second highest nectar yield among the 13 clones under evaluation and was superior to the wild-fruit control.