Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-x5gtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-06T17:02:52.264Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Evaluation of physicochemical characteristics of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit during ripening

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2011

Mehdi Zarei*
Affiliation:
Dep. Hortic. Sci., Fac. Agric., Ferdowsi Univ. Mashhad, Mashhad, P.O Box 91757-1163, Iran
Majid Azizi
Affiliation:
Dep. Hortic. Sci., Fac. Agric., Ferdowsi Univ. Mashhad, Mashhad, P.O Box 91757-1163, Iran
Zeinolabedin Bashir-Sadr
Affiliation:
Ind. Sci. Res. Inst. Iran, PO Box 37575-111, Tehran, Iran
*
Correspondence and reprints
Get access

Abstract

Introduction. Pomegranate fruit is a good source of bioactive compounds. Although data about the importance of pomegranates in human nutrition has increased extensively in the last years, the fruit physical and chemical characteristics of some Iranian pomegranate cultivars during fruit ripening have not been investigated in detail yet. Therefore, the evaluation of physicochemical characteristics of pomegranate fruit cv. ‘Rabbab-e-Fars’ at three different stages, from fruit set to ripening, was the aim of the present study. Materials and methods. Fruit fresh weight and volume, and peel, aril, juice and seed percentage were measured as physical features and total soluble solids, pH, titrable acidity, ascorbic acid, total sugars, anthocyanins, phenolics and tannins, condensed tannins, and antioxidant activity in the juice were evaluated as the chemical properties. Results. The highest percentage of aril (57.86%) and juice (48.01%) and lowest percentage of peel (42.13%) and seed (10.49%) were observed in 140-day-old fruits. A significant increase in concentrations of total soluble solids and total sugars were recorded during fruit ripening. The ascorbic acid content decreased significantly, while the amount of total anthocyanins increased significantly with fruit maturity. Ripe fruit, which had a low titratable acidity (1.35 g·100 g-1 of fruit juice), showed a correspondingly high pH (3.23). The levels of total phenolics, total tannins, condensed tannins and antioxidant activity declined significantly during fruit ripening. Conclusion. Our results provide important information on the changes in physical and chemical properties of pomegranate fruit during ripening, which is very useful for determination of the fruit quality.

Type
Original article
Copyright
© 2011 Cirad/EDP Sciences

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Références

Sarkhosh, A., Zamani, Z., Fatahi, R., Ebadi, A., RAPD markers reveal polymorphism among some Iranian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) genotypes, Sci. Hortic. 111 (2006) 2429. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anon., Statistical book of agricultural of Iran, Iranian Stat. Cent., Tehran, Iran, 2005.
Mars, M., Marrakchi, M., Diversity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) germplasm in Tunisia, Gen. Res. Crop Evol. 46 (1999) 461467. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kulkarni, A.P., Aradhya, S.M., Chemical changes and antioxidant activity in pomegranate arils during fruit development, Food Chem. 93 (2005) 319324. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Du, C.T., Wang, P.L., Francis, F.J., Anthocyanins of pomegranate, Punica granatum , J. Food Sci. 40 (2) (1975) 417418. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Negi, P.S., Jayaprakasha, G.K., Jena, B.S., Antioxidant and antimutagenic activities of pomegranate peel extracts, Food Chem. 80 (2003) 393397. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenblat, M., Hayek, T., Aviram, M., Anti-oxidative effects of pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption by diabetic patients on serum and macrophages, Atherosclerosis 187 (2006) 363371. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aviram, M., Rosenblat, M., Gaitini, D., Nitecki, S., Hoffman, A., Dornfeld, L., Volkova, N., Presser, D., Attias, J., Liker, H., Hayek, T., Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 23 (2004) 423433. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Malik, A., Afaq, F., Sarfaraz, S., Adhami, V.M., Syed, D.N., Mukhtar, H., Pomegranate fruit juice for chemoprevention and chemotherapy of prostate cancer, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102 (2005) 1481314818. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neurath, A.R., Strick, N., Li, Y., Debnath, A.K., Punica granatum (pomegranate) juice provides an HIV-1 entry inhibitor and candidate topical microbicide, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1056 (2005) 311327. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sumner, M.D., Elliott-Eller, M., Weidner, G., Daubenmier, J.J., Chew, M.H., Marlin, R., Raisin, C.J., Ornish, D., Effects of pomegranate juice consumption on myocardial perfusion in patients with coronary heart disease, Am. J. Cardiol. 96 (2005) 810814. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gil, M.I., Tomas-Barberan, F.A., Hess-Pierce, B., Holcroft, D.M., Kader, A.A., Antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice and its relationship with phenolic composition and processing, J. Agric. Food Chem. 48 (2000) 45814589. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scalzo, R.L., Iannoccari, T., Summa, C., Morelli, R., Rapisarda, P., Effect of thermal treatments on antioxidant and antiradical activity of blood orange juice, Food Chem. 85 (2004) 4147. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aviram, M., Dorafeld, L., Rosenblat, M., Volkova, N., Kaplan, M., Coleman, R., Hayek, T., Presser, D., Fuhrman, B., Pomegranate juice consumption reduces oxidative stress, atherogenic modifications to LDL, and platelet aggregation: studies in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 71 (2000) 10621076. Google ScholarPubMed
Singh, R.P., Murthy, C., Jayaprakasha, G.K., Studies on the antioxidant activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel and seed extract using in vitro models, J. Agric. Food Chem. 50 (2002) 8186. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Melgarejo, P., Artes, F., Organic acids and sugar composition of pomegranate juice, Eur. Food Res. Technol. 4 (2000) 3031. Google Scholar
Poyrazoglu, E., Gokmen, V., Artik, N., Organic acids and phenolic compounds in pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) grown in Turkey, J. Food Comp. Anal. 15 (2002) 567575. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Al-Maiman, S.A., Ahmad, D., Changes in physical and chemical properties during pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit maturation, Food Chem. 76 (2002) 437441. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dumas, Y., Dadomo, M., Di Lucca, G., Grolier, P., Effects of environmental factors and agricultural techniques on antioxidant content of tomatoes, J. Sci. Food Agric. 83 (2003) 369382. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Toor, R.K., Savage, G.P., Lister, C.E., Seasonal variations in the antioxidant composition of greenhouse-grown tomatoes, J. Food Comp. Anal. 19 (2006) 110. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raffo, A., La Malfa, G., Fogliano, V., Madani, G., Quaglia,, G., Seasonal variations in antioxidant components of cherry tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Naomi F1), J. Food Comp. Anal. 19 (2006) 1119. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anon., Official methods of analysis, Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. (AOAC), (14th ed.), Washington, DC, U.S.A., 1984.
Ranganna S., Sugar estimation, in: Ranganna S. (Ed.), Handbook of analysis and quality control for fruit and vegetable products, Vol. II, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, India, 2001, pp. 12–17
Ruck J.A., Chemical methods of analysis of fruits and vegetables, Publ. no. 1154, Dep. Agric. Canada, 1963, 3 p.
Giusti M.M., Wrolstad R.E., Characterization and measurement of anthocyanins by UV–visible spectroscopy, in: Wrolstad R.E., Schwartz S.J. (Eds.), Current protocols in food analytical chemistry, Wiley, N. Y., U.S.A., 2001, pp. F1.2.1–F1.2.13.
Makkar, H.P.S., Bluemmel, M., Borowy, N.K., Becker, K., Gravimetric determination of tannins and their correlations with chemical and protein precipitation methods, J. Sci. Food Agric. 61 (1993) 161165. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Porter, L.J., Hrstich, L.N., Chan, N.G., The conversion of procyanidins and prodelphinidins to cyanidin and delphinidin, J. Phytochem. 25 (1986) 223230. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moon, J.H., Terao, J., Antioxidant activity of caffeic acid and dihydrocaffeic acid in lard and human low-density lipoprotein, J. Agri. Food Chem. 46 (1998) 50625065. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shulman, Y., Fainbertein, L., Lavee, S., Pomegranate fruit development and maturation, J. Hortic. Sci. 48 (1984) 293296. Google Scholar
Undurraga, P., Olaeta, J., Gardiazabal, F., Seasonal changes on chemical and physical parameters in six avocado (Persea americana Mill.) cultivars grown in Chile, S. Afr. Avocado Grow. Assoc. Yearb. 10 (1987) 138143. Google Scholar
Ben-Arie, R., Segal, N., Guelfat-Reich, S., The maturation and ripening of the ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate, J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 109 (1984) 898902. Google Scholar
Gozlekci, S., Kayank, L., Physical and chemical changes during fruit development and flowering in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivar ‘Hicaznar’ grown in Antalya region, Turkey, Ciheam-Options Mediterr. 42 (2000) 7985. Google Scholar
Wills R.H.H., Lee T.H., Graham D., McGlasson W.B., Hall F.G., Postharvest, an introduction to the physiology and handling of fruit and vegetables, AVI Publ. Co., Inc., Westport, Conn., U.S.A., 1981, 161 p.
Biale, J.B., The postharvest biochemistry of tropical and subtropical fruits, Adv. Food Res. 10 (1960) 293354. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gil, M.I., Garcia-Viguera, C., Artes, F., Tomas-Barberan, F.A., Changes in pomegranate juice pigmentation during ripening, J. Sci. Food Agric. 5 (68) (1995) 7781. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Siriwoharn, T., Wrolstad, R.E., Finn, C.E., Pereira, C.B., Influence of cultivar, maturity, and sampling on blackberry (Rubus L. hybrids) anthocyanins, polyphenolics, and antioxidant properties, J. Agric. Food Chem. 52 (2004) 80218030. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Serrano, M., Guille’n, F., Martinez-Romero, D., Castillo, S., Valero, D., Chemical constituents and antioxidant activity of sweet cherry at different ripening stages, J. Agric. Food Chem. 53 (2005) 27412745. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bashir, H.A., Abu-Goukh A-B.A., Compositional changes during guava fruit ripening, Food Chem. 80 (2003) 557563. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chace E.M., Church G.G., Poore H.H., The Wonderful variety of pomegranate, USDA Circ., 1981, 15 p.
Amiot, J.M., Tacchini, M., Aubert, S.Y., Oleszek, W., Influence of cultivar, maturity stage and storage conditions on phenolic composition and enzymatic browning of pear fruit, J. Agric. Food Chem. 43 (1995) 11321137. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldstein, J.L., Swain, T., Changes in tannins in ripening fruits, Phytochem. 2 (1963) 371383. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, S.Y., Lin, H.S., Antioxidant activity in fruits and leaves of blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry varies with cultivar and developmental stage, J. Agric. Food Chem. 48 (2000) 140146. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yong, Y., Renzi, W., Difference in fruit vitamin C, soluble solids content and soluble tannin content in PCNA, PVNA and PCA persimmon cultivars in China, Acta Hortic. 601 (2003) 239243. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robbins, M.P., Bavudage, A.D., Strudwicke, C., Morris, P., Genetic manipulation of condensed tannins in higher plant, Plant Physiol. 116 (1998) 11331144. CrossRefGoogle Scholar