PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF PSEUDOFRUITS OF HOVENIA DULCIS THUNB. IN DIFFERENT MATURITY STAGES

The study of physical properties of the pulp of exotic fruit products and its rheological behavior can contribute to improve their quality for food uses. The aim of this study was to evaluate color, thickness, acidity, texture, rheological behavior in pseudofruits (peduncles) of Hovenia dulcis in different stages of maturation. The experimental rheological data were adjusted for models of Ostwald-de Waele and Herschel-Bulkley. Through maturation process of H. dulcis pseudofruits, parallel to the increase in size, a decrease in texture occurs. The softening is closely associated with ripening, reaching its apex in the stadium Hd04, when the peduncle is fully mature and already in full senescence period in Hd05 stage. The appearance of flow curves indicates a non-Newtonian behavior pseudo-plastic, which is proven when adjusted to the models. From their physicochemical characteristics (color, thickness, pH and acidity and texture) Hd04 and Hd05 are the most suitable stages for human consumption of H. dulcis pseudofruits, for either fresh consumption or the elaboration of manufactured products. All these results are important to define processing conditions, and thus facilitate and increase the use of H. dulcis pulp in the food industry.