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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, PHYSICO-CHEMISTRIES AND
CHEMISTRIES OF THREE TYPES OF GENIPAP (Genipa americana
L.)
ABSTRACT
The South Region of the Bahia state presents edaphoclimatic conditions
favorable to the culture of many fruit species with industrial potential, between them
the genipap tree, which can be found sub spontaneously and is explored in an
extractivist way in North and Northeast of Brazil. Genipap pulp is used mainly in the
production of candies, liquors, bullets, as well as in diverse domestic, industrial
applications and mainly for its medicinal properties, however, the information about
physical characteristics,
physicist-chemistries
, chemistries and industrial income
of these different deriving fruits of germoplasmas are scarce.
and industrial
incomes from fruits of different germplasms are scarce. To characterize fruits
proceeding from different germoplasms and to identify plants with fruits with
significant traits for industrial exploitation were the objectives of this study in intention
to subsidize futures works on selection and improvement. The fruits were collected at
Two Bars, Calmness and White Gold farms, in Ilhéus-BA, from April to august of
2005. 540 fruits were collected, from 12 vigorous and productive plants with fruits of
soft, firm and very firm types, in mature stadium of maturation for physical
characterization, physicist-chemistries and chemistries. From the results gotten for
pulp firmness of genipap, fruits of the soft type (1,67 kgf), firm (4,40 kgf) and very firm
(7,71 kgf), were observed that the firmness of the pulp of genipap consists a
parameter for classification of the different types of fruits of the genipap tree (G.
americana L.). The different types of genipap fruits collected showed as main
physical characteristics, rounded off format the slightly oval one, with average weight
of 243,34 g, average income of 67,21% of pulp. The determination had disclosed that
the pulp of these fruits presents characteristics physicist-chemistries and chemistries
considered desirable for the agroindustry of pulp processing of fruits, with average
values for humidity of 74,34%, pH of 2,88, titratable total acidity of 0,71%, 18.21
ºBrix, 0.71% of leached ashes, 2,28%, 4,10% and 6,04% for text of fructose, glucose
and sucrose respectively. It was observed that the mineral content in the different
types of genipap fruits in general, can be considered a good source, when compared
with other tropical fruits, mainly calcium and potassium ones.
Key words: Genipap, characteristics, quality, selection.