Abstract

In this study, the relationships of color and maturity stage with the physicochemical properties of tropical fruits (puerco and corazón varieties of mango, passion fruit, papaya and plantain) were investigated. The color of tropical fruits was measured using image acquisition system, expressed in CIELAB color space. The pH and the maturity index showed good fitting with the color parameters using linear and polynomial models. The pH increased slightly with increasing maturity stage, while titratable acidity decreases in mango, passion fruit and papaya, due to cushioning effect of citric acid. In the plantain, the pH decreases with increasing maturity index. However, titratable acidity increases with increasing maturity stage. This occurs as result of the degradation of starch in sugars and their conversion into pyruvic acid.