With the objective to study physical, chemical and rheological behavior of West Indian cherry juice of five genotypes (CL2, CL5, CL11, R1 and R2) an experiment was conducted with the juice extracted from 2 kg of mature fruits after washing, dried and squashed in a manual processor. The juice was sieved in a 1.6 mm sieve; 20 mL samples were packed in plastic tubes (5 x 3 cm) and stored in a freezer at -10 °C for a 10 month period. The evaluations of total soluble solids were refractometric, the pH was determined by potentiometer, vitamin C was measured by iodine reduction technique and apparent viscosity determined in concentric cylinders viscosimeter. The determinations were done initially and at intervals of two months (0, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th). Viscosity and vitamin C were the characteristics which varied highly. The genotype CL-2 surpassed other genotypes in total soluble solids and the genotypes R1 and R2 showed superiority in vitamin C content. The analyzed juices presented a non-newtonian and pseudoplastic rheological behavior.
Malpighia punicifolia; physical-chemical behavior; juice; viscosity; vitamin C
