Physico-Chemical Properties of Custard Apple

Custard apple is a climacteric fruit with less storage life as compared to other fruits. Custard apple contain anti-oxidants like Vitamin-C and good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin-A. For development of processing technology (preparation of custard apple pulp and other value-added products) and equipment some basic data of physical and chemical properties are necessary. Hence, physico-chemical properties play important role in design or development of pre and post-harvest equipment and value added product. The observations on tree for percentage increase in dimensions of fruits (Horizontal and vertical diameter) on tree was more rapidly in early stage of fruit setting (0 to 25 days). After 25 days of fruit setting, the percentage increase in dimensions of fruit was increased gradually (30-40 days) and at the time of harvesting of fruit the percentage change in dimensions was negligible or became constant (45-55 days). The average weight, geometric mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter, sphericity, surface area, volume, hardness for ripe and unripe fruits were 103.04 g, 57.63 mm, 60.52 mm, 0.88, 10579.27 mm2, 118.38 cm3, 1.27 kgf; 143.57 g, 62.39 mm, 65.60 mm, 0.85, 12283.54 mm2, 144.09 cm3, 3.66 kgf, respectively. The pulp content, seeded pulp content, seed content, peel content for ripe and unripe fruits were 35.08%, 47.63%, 11.38%, 51.50%; 31.98%, 40.20%, 7.52%, 59.29% respectively. The average moisture content, pH, total soluble solids, acidity, reducing sugar, total sugar, ascorbic acid for ripe and unripe fruit pulps were 68.42%, 6.1, 30.7 °brix, 0.3%, 8.5 g/100 g, 15.6 g/100 g, 13.65 mg; 64.75%, 5.8, 37.7 °brix, 0.3%, 5 g/100 g, 12.07 g/100g, 12.35 mg, respectively.