Abstract: In order to correctly evaluate the quality of fresh passion fruit, quality indicators of passion fruit from Guangxi and Fujian provinces were determined and the core indicators were identified by variation analysis, correlation analysis and principal component analysis. Subsequently, the weights of these indicators were determined by the analytic hierarchy process to establish a comprehensive evaluation model for the quality of fresh passion fruit by grey relational analysis. The model was validated by comparison with sensory evaluation. The results showed that single fruit mass (X1), the proportion of edible parts (X2), sugar-acid ratio (X3) and total flavonoids content (X4) were the core indexes for quality evaluation of fresh passion fruit. The established model was described as follows: the weighted gray correlation degree of passion fruit varieties (lines) = 0.418 1 X1 + 0.222 6 X2 + 0.249 7 X3 + 0.109 6 X4. A comparison of the sensory evaluation results with the model prediction values showed a correlation coefficient of 0.97, indicating that the model will provide a scientific basis for comprehensive quality evaluation of fresh passion fruit.

Key words: passion fruit, fresh fruit, analytic hierarchy process, grey relational analysis, fruit quality, comprehensive evaluation model