Effects of maturity status on biochemical content, polyphenol composition and antioxidant capacity of pomegranate fruit arils (cv. 'Bhagwa')

Pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) has gained commercial importance in recent years in the food and health industries due to increasing scientific evidence linking its consumption to better health outcomes. In the present study, the evolution of some chemical contents, individual organic acids and sugars, phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of pomegranate (cv. 'Bhagwa') during maturation was investigated. The results showed significant (P<0.05) increases in sugar content, ascorbic acid and total anthocyanins during fruit maturation, while significant decreases occurred in titratable acidity (TA), organic acids and total phenolic contents (TPCs). The significant increase in TSS/TA ratio, which plays a significant role in juice flavor, peaked at 140 DAFB, while the highest accumulation of anthocyanin content occurred at the full-ripe stage (165 DAFB). Total antioxidant capacity (both DPPH and FRAP) declined during fruit maturation, suggesting a decrease in antioxidant power of fruit juice. Strong correlations between TPC and antioxidant capacity measured by the DPPH (r²=0.99) and FRAP (r²=0.96) methods were observed. Fructose and glucose were established to be the major sugars in the fruit cultivar while tartaric acid was the predominant organic acid. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that harvest maturity of 'Bhagwa' pomegranate fruit is dependent on time from full bloom hence could be fixed around 165 DAFB, where fruits were characterized by intense fruit and aril pigmentation as well as high juice quality parameters. This information provided could help pomegranate juice producers to assess and optimize juice quality and antioxidant value of 'Bhagwa' pomegranate cultivar through maturity.