Changes in pigments in pulp and aril of balsam pear (Momordica charantia L.) fruit during development and storage.
Tan XinPing; Ueda, Y.; Imahori, Y.; Chachin, K.;
Journal of the Japanese Society for Horticultural Science Year: 1999 Vol: 68 Issue: 3 Pages: 683-688 Ref: 24 ref.
1999
บทคัดย่อ
Pigments of M. charantia fruits during development, ripening and storage were investigated to determine the optimum horticultural stage and temperature management of the postharvest fruits and also to obtain data on their carotenoid composition. The fruit were harvested at 6 stages (A, B, C, D, E and F) of development and ripening. The fruit harvested at stage C (horticultural maturity) were packaged with polyethylene film bags and stored at 1, 10, 20 or 30 deg C. The pigments in fruits during development and storage were analysed quantitatively by HPLC. The main carotenoid component was lutein with minimal quantities of beta -carotene and alpha -carotene found in the pulp as well as in the aril of young fruits. Both chlorophyll and total carotenoid contents decreased steadily during fruit development from stage A to D. However, the total carotenoids increased significantly while the chlorophyll disappeared completely during stages E to F. The highest content of carotenoids was found in ripe fru
it (stage F) and the principal components were lutein and cryptoxanthin. The carotenoid content in the aril increased considerably during fruit ripening, lycopene being the main component, reaching 64.75 mg/100 g FW at stage E. Both chlorophylls a and b contents decreased significantly in the fruits stored at higher temperatures compared with those at lower temperatures. The lutein and cryptoxanthin contents in pulp increased during storage at 20 and 30 deg C, but increased slightly or tended to decrease during storage at 1 and 10 deg C, respectively. The pattern of changes of carotenoids in the aril was similar to that in the pulp.