GRAPEFRUIT DEGREENING INFLUENCE ON HEALTH PROMOTING LIMONOIDS AND FLAVONOIDS
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Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi MacFad.) is a rich source of various health promoting bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, ascorbic acid, limonoids, flavonoids and furocoumarins. Degreening of early season grapefruits with ethylene is common commercial practice followed to accelerate change in peel color by destruction of chlorophyll and accumulation of carotenoids. Effect of degreening on peel of citrus fruits has received considerable attention. However, very little information is available on the effect of ethylene treatment on bioactive compounds such as limonoids, flavonoids and vitamins in grapefruit juice. In the present study, effect of degreening and storability on 'Star Ruby' grapefruit bioactive compounds was investigated. Fruits were degreened in commercial packing shed. Both degreened and nondegreened fruits were stored under simulated market conditions at 10°C for 3 weeks and 20°C for 2 weeks. No significant difference was found in β-carotene and lycopene levels among non-degreened and degreened grapefruits. In both treatments, β-carotene and lycopene levels increased gradually up to 35 days of storage. Ascorbic acid was retained during the storage period with no significant difference between the treatments. Three limonoids such as deacetyl nomilinic acid glucoside (DNAG), limonin, nomilin; and five flavonoids such as narirutin, naringin, neohesperidin, didymin, poncirin were quantified by HPLC. Interestingly, nomilin content was significantly higher in degreened fruits than non-degreened fruits at 35 days of storage. Degreening reduced flavonoid and limonoid contents during storage but did not affect carotenoids and ascorbic acid contents. Therefore, it is possible that degreening may have potential to maximize fruit quality while minimally affecting bioactive compounds present in grapefruit.
