West indian cherry is a very perishable fruit and its vitamin C content is its principal nutritional appeal. Brazilian legislation admits a 20% variation in the nutrient content from the one specified on the label. Due to this requirement the initial vitamin C content and losses during storage should be known in products. Vitamin C stability in pasteurized pulp and west indian cherry in natura, both frozen and stored at -12ºC e -18ºC and of the pasteurized juice stored at room temperature, were determined during four months. Frozen pulps had no significant vitamin C degradation during this period and fruits in natura showed first order kinetics degradation and zero order for the juice. After four months, west indian cherry fruits stored at -12ºC and -18ºC showed 869±12 and 1.223±148 mg vit.C/100g, representing losses of 43% and 19%, respectively. Pulps at -12ºC and -18ºC showed a 1.314±6 and 1.322±2 mg vit.C/100g, respectively, representing approx. 3% losses and the juice showed 32% loss, corresponding to a final content of 673±17 mg vit.C/100g.
storage; freezing; juice; pulp; fruit; labeling; kinetics
