PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF DWARF AMBARELLA (SPONDIAS DULCIS) FRUITS

Ambarella (Spondias dulcis) is a tropical fruit tree from the Anacardiaceae family. Recently, resulting from the natural mutation of the ambarella, the dwarf ambarella was created. However, the fruits of the dwarf plant have been studied to a limited extent. This study aimed to characterize the fruits and pulp of dwarf ambarella and collect data. The weight, diameter, and length analyses of the entire fruit were carried out. Then, the fruits were subjected to manual processing to produce the pulp and subsequent characterization regarding soluble solids (SS), moisture, titratable acidity in citric acid, vitamin C, and color. Dwarf ambarella weighed between 53.78 and 79.52 g, had a diameter between 40.31 and 45.35 mm, and a length between 53.31 and 60.72 mm. The pulp had a soluble solid content ranging from 10.3 to 13.8 °Brix, moisture between 84.13 and 86.78%, pH between 3.14 and 3.31, and acidity expressed as citric acid ranged from 0.80 to 1.03% m/m. The maximum vitamin C content equals 1.70 mg.100 g-1. The color characteristics are *L between 51.53 and 46.72, a* ranging from 7.68 to 7.04, and b* from 32.80 to 28.78. Dwarf ambarella has physical and chemical characteristics similar to the fruits of traditional cajá trees.