901 Physical and Chemical Characterization of Persian Lime Fruit Harvested at Two Stages of Maturity M.C.S. dos Anjos, T.L. Faskomy and A.M. Miranda Universidade Estácio de Sá Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil A.C. Gonçalves Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil C.A. Rego Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil A.G. Soares and M.J.O. Fonseca Embrapa Food Technology Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil Keywords: Citrus limettioides, organic crop, postharvest quality Abstract In this study, the physical and chemical characteristics of the Persian Lime (Citrus limettioides) were determined. Fruit were harvested at two maturation stages (green and yellow) at the end of June 2009. The average weight of fruit at the yellow maturation stage was 146.3±13.9 and 150.2±11.6 g in the fruit with a green shell. Skin color values were: L*=75.0±1.6, a*=-3.00±1.29, b*=66.18±2.32, E=100.23±2.19 and L*=71.9±1.7, a*=-4.56±0.44, b*=61.87±1.49, E=95.98±3.09, for fruits at the maturation stage yellow and green, respectively. The average of total soluble solids content, total titratable acidity and pH were: 7.38±0.30°Brix, 0.07±0.005 mg 100 g -1 of citric acid and 5.97±0.07 for yellow fruits, and 7.50±0.14°Brix, 0.067±0.010 mg g -1 of citric acid and 5.80±0.010 for green fruits. Vitamin C concentrations were 345.8±82.0 and 386.2±38.0 mg 100 g -1 for yellow and green limes, respectively. INTRODUCTION The cultivation of citrus was introduced in Brazil during the colonial period and since then started to have great importance on the consumption habits of the population (USP, 2004). The citrus plants are from the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and close islands (Moreira and Moreira, 1991). There are some variations in chemical composition of citrus fruit. Those variations depending on the climate, cultural practices, soil type, the cultivars used and also the parts of the fruit used (Moreira, 2004). The Persian lime belongs to a group of common or sweet limes. According to Toda Fruta (2003), the fruits are of medium size, divided in buds, oblong, sometimes oblique or elliptical, with top and base rounded. The weight ranges from 130 to 150 g, with 6.42 cm of longitudinal diameter and 6.83 cm of equatorial diameter. The fruit shape is given by the ratio of longitudinal and equatorial diameter, which for these fruits is 0.93. The peel surface is smooth, thin, adherent and medium-sized oil vesicles. The pulp is pale yellow with soft firmness. The vitamin C content is around 28 mg 100 g -1 (Botelho, 2008). The Persian lime (C. limettioides) is less popular than lemon (C. aurantifolia) and orange (C. sinensis) fruit. It is a citrus fruit with low acidity and difficult to cultivate because it is very susceptible to diseases (Toda Fruta, 2003). According to Marcos Machado (Director, Citrus Center, Instituto Agronômico de Campinas), Persian limes are not included in Brazilian statistics of citrus because it is basically found in home gardens. Organic crop management can be an alternative for sustainable production of Persian limes. There are few studies demonstrating the relation between quality and the organic crop of Persian limes. Therefore, the objective of this study was determination of the composition of Persian Limes cultivated as an organic and harvested at two stages of maturation. Proc. XXVIII th IHC – IS on Postharvest Technology in the Global Market Eds.: M.I. Cantwell and D.P.F. Almeida Acta Hort. 934, ISHS 2012