Firmness of pulp was measured using a handheld penetrometer (FT-327; UC Fruit Firmness Tester, Milano, Italy), equipped with an 8-mm plunger tip, at the equator of fruit where a section of rind (4 × 4 cm and ≈1 cm deep) had been removed and results were expressed in (kg cm −2). Three readings were taken for each guava.