Composed fruits may present expressive variations in its pulp proprieties, requiring special attention to quality control procedures. This work aimed at determining the main attributes of 'Pérola' pineapple pulp, in function of fruit size and maturation stage. Fruits were harvested from commercial fields in Itaberaba, Bahia, Brazil, in the 2002 harvest season, and their contents of total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), titratable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio and pulp pH determined. In completely randomized experimental designs, were studied treatments distributed in a factorial scheme of 2 (fruit size - small and large) x 2 (maturation stage - green-ripe and colored) x 3 (upper, middle and lower third parts), with 15 replications, in the first experiment; and in a factorial scheme of 3 (upper, middle and lower third parts) x 3 (outer, central and inner third parts), with seven replications, in the second one. TSS increased from the fruit top to the bottom and from the outside to the inside, being higher in colored fruits, occurring the opposite for TA and vitamin C contents. Small fruits presented higher contents of TSS and TA and lower values for SST/AT and vitamin C. The amplitude of gradients observed in 'Pérola' pineapple fruits requires the use of samples set up by complete longitudinal and horizontal fruit sections, for quality control procedures.
Ananas comosus; sampling; soluble solids; titratable acidity; vitamin C
