The shelf life of preserves can be extended by the use of preservatives and other combined preservation methods. The objective of the present study was to verify the effects of potassium sorbate and citric acid concentrations and the pulp:sugar ratio on the physical and physicochemical characteristics of guava preserve formulations. A complete 2³ factorial design was used with 3 central points. Linear models were fitted to describe the responses as a function of the significant factors. The results showed that the potassium sorbate concentration had little effect on the responses analysed, except for the pH. The pulp/sugar ratio and the citric acid concentration are the most relevant variables to this process. The citric acid concentration and the pulp:sugar ratio must be increased to obtain firm preserves and greater yield.
fruits; processing; quality
