Articles
Postharvest fruit chemistry changes in 61 blueberry cultivars after six weeks of cold storage
Article number
1440_47
Pages
341 – 348
Language
English
Abstract
Consumer acceptance of blueberry fruit depends strongly on the taste or flavor, which can change during extended cold storage.
Blueberry fruit sugars and organic acids were analyzed along with their corresponding estimates of total soluble solids content (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA). The analysis was conducted on 61 cultivars consisting of southern and northern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum) and rabbiteye (V. virgatum) cultivars harvested in North Carolina, USA. Blueberry fruit chemistry was followed through 6 weeks of cold storage (2°C, 80% RH) at two-week intervals.
At harvest (T0), TSS and total soluble sugar content ranged from 10.2 to 16.0% and 639 to 785 mg g‑1 DW, respectively, across cultivars.
Much larger variability was observed in parameters related to acidity. pH, TA, and total organic acid content ranged between 3.0 and 4.5, 0.15-0.79%, and 11-95 mg g‑1 DW, respectively.
Changes in average chemical composition were gradual over storage time, which was mostly driven by cultivar- and parameter-dependent changes.
Average pH increased from 3.58 to 3.67 and total organic acid content (consisting of citric, quinic, malic, and shikimic acids) decreased from 46 to 37 mg g‑1 DW. Citric, quinic, and shikimic acids decreased gradually over weeks of storage while malic acid increased.
Average total soluble sugar content mainly decreased during the first two weeks of storage.
This change was mostly due to losses of fructose, while glucose and sucrose showed gradual increases during storage.
Citric acid was the dominant organic acid in northern and southern highbush cultivars (36-90% of total organic acid) while quinic acid was 45-75% of total organic acid in rabbiteye cultivars.
Overall, these results indicate that organic acid composition at harvest plays a more important role in determining the sugar to acid ratio and possibly the balance between sweetness and sourness.
Fruit chemistry changes during storage were minimal and cultivar specific.
Blueberry fruit sugars and organic acids were analyzed along with their corresponding estimates of total soluble solids content (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA). The analysis was conducted on 61 cultivars consisting of southern and northern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum) and rabbiteye (V. virgatum) cultivars harvested in North Carolina, USA. Blueberry fruit chemistry was followed through 6 weeks of cold storage (2°C, 80% RH) at two-week intervals.
At harvest (T0), TSS and total soluble sugar content ranged from 10.2 to 16.0% and 639 to 785 mg g‑1 DW, respectively, across cultivars.
Much larger variability was observed in parameters related to acidity. pH, TA, and total organic acid content ranged between 3.0 and 4.5, 0.15-0.79%, and 11-95 mg g‑1 DW, respectively.
Changes in average chemical composition were gradual over storage time, which was mostly driven by cultivar- and parameter-dependent changes.
Average pH increased from 3.58 to 3.67 and total organic acid content (consisting of citric, quinic, malic, and shikimic acids) decreased from 46 to 37 mg g‑1 DW. Citric, quinic, and shikimic acids decreased gradually over weeks of storage while malic acid increased.
Average total soluble sugar content mainly decreased during the first two weeks of storage.
This change was mostly due to losses of fructose, while glucose and sucrose showed gradual increases during storage.
Citric acid was the dominant organic acid in northern and southern highbush cultivars (36-90% of total organic acid) while quinic acid was 45-75% of total organic acid in rabbiteye cultivars.
Overall, these results indicate that organic acid composition at harvest plays a more important role in determining the sugar to acid ratio and possibly the balance between sweetness and sourness.
Fruit chemistry changes during storage were minimal and cultivar specific.
Publication
Authors
H. Oh, P. Perkins-Veazie, G. Ma, M. Trandel-Hayse, C.M. Mainland, M. Iorizzo
Keywords
Vaccinium, organic acid, soluble sugars, titratable acidity, pH, total soluble solids
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