The objective of this study was to determine the minimum sample size of an infinite fruit population to evaluate postharvest quality of yellow passion fruit as a function of fruit size and ripening stage. Standardized samples were collected from 20 fruits from a commercial orchard in Campos dos Goytacazes (RJ) and the data were interpreted using the simple random sampling method. The evaluated traits were peel color, peel thickness, juice yield, fruit mass, content of total soluble solids, C vitamin, pH, titratable acidity, reducers and non-reducers and total soluble sugars. The standardized sampling of 20 fruits was representative of an infinite population when used for chemical analysis of ripe yellow passion fruits harvested with more than 30% of yellow peel. Measures of juice yield and peel thickness required larger sample sizes.
Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg.; sampling; fruit size; ripening stage; chemical characterization
