Changes in chemical composition of guava fruits during growth and development

Guava fruits of Allahabad Safeda and Sardar harvested at different developmental stages were analysed for their physico-chemical, biochemical and mineral constituents. The growth of fruits followed a double sigmoid curve. Data indicated that fruit density, total acidity, skin chlorophyll, skin carotenoids, vitamin A, total pectins, crude protein, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium contents decreased; pulp pH, total tannins, dry matter and iron contents showed marginal changes, and TSS, vitamin C, sucrose, glucose and fructose contents increased during fruit maturation and ripening. The fruits of Allahabad Safeda had glucose: fructose ratio below 1 and those of Sardar above 1 during maturation and ripening. Citric acid was the major acid together with malic, tartaric, pyruvic, succinic, fumaric, oxaloacetic, x-ketoglutaric and malonic acids formed 71 – 97% of the total non-volatile acids at various ripening stages.