Processed Pulp Recovery Rate in Two North American Pawpaw Cultivars Using Two Methods
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Institution
Kentucky State University
KY House District #
57
KY Senate District #
7
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Mr. Jeremiah Lowe; Ms. Sheri Crabtree; Kirk Pomper, PhD
Department
College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment
Abstract
The North American pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is the largest tree fruit native to the United States and is in the early stages of commercial production. The pawpaw fruit has a creamy, yellow-orange flesh and a flavor resembling a blend of mango, banana, and pineapple. The fruit has a short shelf-life. Difficulty with postharvest handling and storage presents a challenge for growers. Production of frozen pawpaw fruit pulp as a value-added product would be one solution to this problem of fruit perishability. However, pawpaw fruit pulp extraction is labor intensive due to rows of large, inedible seeds contained in the fruit that impede processing. Valuable pulp may be lost through ineffective extraction methods. The objective of this study was to determine 1) the processed pulp recovery rate of two pawpaw cultivars (Sunflower and Susquehanna), and 2) if recovery rate differed using two different methods. Three sets of five ripe fruit from each of the cultivars were extracted using either a modified food strainer and sauce maker or an automatic juicer. The sauce maker was modified by shortening the length of the fruit spiral and using a screen with 0.3175 cm (1/8”) holes. The juicer was unmodified. The fruit were cut in half. Pulp and seed were scooped out with a spoon and placed into each machine for pulp extraction. The pulp/seed mixture was run through the strainer 3 times to obtain as much processed pulp as possible. No significant difference was found for pulp yield between the two cultivars. A significant difference was found between methods with the juicer having a significantly higher yield (53.4%) than the sauce maker (41.7%).
Processed Pulp Recovery Rate in Two North American Pawpaw Cultivars Using Two Methods
The North American pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is the largest tree fruit native to the United States and is in the early stages of commercial production. The pawpaw fruit has a creamy, yellow-orange flesh and a flavor resembling a blend of mango, banana, and pineapple. The fruit has a short shelf-life. Difficulty with postharvest handling and storage presents a challenge for growers. Production of frozen pawpaw fruit pulp as a value-added product would be one solution to this problem of fruit perishability. However, pawpaw fruit pulp extraction is labor intensive due to rows of large, inedible seeds contained in the fruit that impede processing. Valuable pulp may be lost through ineffective extraction methods. The objective of this study was to determine 1) the processed pulp recovery rate of two pawpaw cultivars (Sunflower and Susquehanna), and 2) if recovery rate differed using two different methods. Three sets of five ripe fruit from each of the cultivars were extracted using either a modified food strainer and sauce maker or an automatic juicer. The sauce maker was modified by shortening the length of the fruit spiral and using a screen with 0.3175 cm (1/8”) holes. The juicer was unmodified. The fruit were cut in half. Pulp and seed were scooped out with a spoon and placed into each machine for pulp extraction. The pulp/seed mixture was run through the strainer 3 times to obtain as much processed pulp as possible. No significant difference was found for pulp yield between the two cultivars. A significant difference was found between methods with the juicer having a significantly higher yield (53.4%) than the sauce maker (41.7%).