Articles
Quality properties and antioxidant compounds of pomegranate juice as affected by cultivar
Article number
1387_34
Pages
249 – 254
Language
English
Abstract
Pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) is one of the oldest known edible fruits and is very appreciated by consumers due to its high-quality attributes, mainly size, shape, colour and content of sugars and organic acids in the arils.
In addition, pomegranate fruit has gained popularity and scientific interest in the last years due to its health benefits, which are attributed to its content in bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity, such as phenolic compounds including anthocyanin.
However, these properties are highly dependent on several factors, such as genetic variability among cultivars, agronomic and environmental conditions and ripening stage.
In the present experiment, pomegranate fruit of eight cultivars growth in southeastern Spain (Albatera, Alicante), in close orchards and under similar environmental conditions and agronomic practices were harvested at commercial ripening stage in order to know differences in juice quality properties and anthocyanin content due to cultivar.
Results showed that total acidity (TA) ranged from 0.27 g 100 mL‑1 in Mollar 100 to 2.20 g 100 mL‑1 in Smith. It is noticeable that the cultivars with higher TA had citric acid as the major organic acid, while in those cultivars with low TA, malic acid was the major one.
Total soluble solids (TSS) were not so different among cultivars, ranging from 13.5 g 100 mL‑1 in Purple Queen to 16.1 g 100 mL‑1 in Kingdom. The major sugars responsible for TSS were fructose and glucose in all cultivars.
For total anthocyanin content, important differences were also found among cultivars, with values ca. 10 mg 100 g‑1 FW in Mollar de Elche and Mollar 100 and ca. 200 mg 100 g‑1 FW in Bigfull, Kingdom, Smith and Wonderful. Thus, Bigfull could be an appropriate cultivar for pomegranate juice with good sensory properties, since it has a balanced TSS/TA ratio and high anthocyanin content, and in turn, a deep red colour.
However, Smith, despite having high anthocyanin content, should be combined with less acid cultivars, such as Mollar de Elche and Mollar 100, since its juice has a strong sour component.
In addition, pomegranate fruit has gained popularity and scientific interest in the last years due to its health benefits, which are attributed to its content in bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity, such as phenolic compounds including anthocyanin.
However, these properties are highly dependent on several factors, such as genetic variability among cultivars, agronomic and environmental conditions and ripening stage.
In the present experiment, pomegranate fruit of eight cultivars growth in southeastern Spain (Albatera, Alicante), in close orchards and under similar environmental conditions and agronomic practices were harvested at commercial ripening stage in order to know differences in juice quality properties and anthocyanin content due to cultivar.
Results showed that total acidity (TA) ranged from 0.27 g 100 mL‑1 in Mollar 100 to 2.20 g 100 mL‑1 in Smith. It is noticeable that the cultivars with higher TA had citric acid as the major organic acid, while in those cultivars with low TA, malic acid was the major one.
Total soluble solids (TSS) were not so different among cultivars, ranging from 13.5 g 100 mL‑1 in Purple Queen to 16.1 g 100 mL‑1 in Kingdom. The major sugars responsible for TSS were fructose and glucose in all cultivars.
For total anthocyanin content, important differences were also found among cultivars, with values ca. 10 mg 100 g‑1 FW in Mollar de Elche and Mollar 100 and ca. 200 mg 100 g‑1 FW in Bigfull, Kingdom, Smith and Wonderful. Thus, Bigfull could be an appropriate cultivar for pomegranate juice with good sensory properties, since it has a balanced TSS/TA ratio and high anthocyanin content, and in turn, a deep red colour.
However, Smith, despite having high anthocyanin content, should be combined with less acid cultivars, such as Mollar de Elche and Mollar 100, since its juice has a strong sour component.
Publication
Authors
H.M. Díaz-Mula, D. Valero, J.M. Lorente-Mento, D. Martínez-Romero, F. Guillén, M. Serrano
Keywords
Punica granatum L., sugars, organic acids, anthocyanins
Online Articles (46)