Biochemical changes in some fruits at different ripening stages.
Sharaf A., Ahmed F. A., El-Saadany S. S.
Author Affiliation: Institute of Productive Efficiency, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Food Chemistry 31 : 19-28
Abstract : Apricot and mango fruits were harvested at green mature, ripe and over-ripe stages. In apricots, soluble and insoluble proteins decreased gradually during ripening, whereas in mango the soluble protein increased and insoluble protein decreased during ripening. Fourteen amino acids were detected in apricot and 12 in mango, and the percentage of each varied according to the degree of ripening. Total and soluble carbohydrate contents increased gradually in both fruits, and glucose, fructose and sucrose were present at all ripening stages; xylose was found only in apricot. Volatile components separated and identified in apricot included aromatic aldehydes, esters, alcohols and ketones, while in mango, 30 volatile components were identified, including cis-ocimene, myrcene, limonene, esters, aldehydes and terpenes. Mango juice contained palmitic and oleic acids as major constituent fatty acids; the short chain fatty acids represented only 5% of the total at the green mature stage and decreased at other ripening stages. In apricot juice, myristic and oleic acids were the most abundant fatty acids, while the saturated short chain fatty acids comprised only 7% of the total and decreased at the ripe and over-ripe stages.