Effects of post-harvest treatment and storage time on the organic acid content in Assaria and Mollar pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit

Miguel, Maria Graça; Fontes, C.; Martins, D.; Neves, Alcinda; Antunes, Maria Dulce

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/6256

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Abstract(s)

The effects of postharvest treatment and storage at 5 degrees C on changes in the organic acid content in the juice of 'Assaria' and 'Mollar' pomegranate were monitored. The fruit was chill stored after the following treatments: covering boxes with a 25-mu thick low-density polyethylene film and spraying with 1.5% CaCl2; untreated fruit was used as the control. The results showed that citric acid is the main organic acid in the 'Mollar' cultivar, followed by tartaric acid, whereas three organic acids were present at similar levels in 'Assaria' pomegranate: citric, oxalic and tartaric acids. Differences in the main organic acid contents were detected when fruit was submitted to different treatments prior to cold storage. The different pretreatments did not significantly interfere with the accumulation of organic acids in either cultivar. There were two exceptions. The ascorbic acid content was significantly higher in the 'Mollar' cultivar when the fruit was treated with calcium, while the pyruvic acid content was significantly higher in the 'Assaria' cultivar in the untreated fruit.