Changes in sugars, acids and fatty acids in naturally parthenocarpic date plum persimmon (Diospyros lotus L.) fruit during maturation and ripening

The date plum persimmon fruit (Diospyros lotus L., fam: Ebenaceae) is cultivated throughout northern of Turkey for its edible fruits. Sugars and organic acids were measured during fruit maturation and ripening using HPLC. The analyses showed that fructose and glucose were the main sugars accumulated in the fruit pulp. Fructose and glucose increased up to 43,552.8 mg.100 g fw and 35,450.8 mg.100 g fw respectively during fruit ripening. Sucrose content remained relatively low and decreased during ripening. The major organic acids found in date plum fruit were citric and malic acids, which increased through the immature and midripe maturity, and then the levels decreased in the overripe fruit. Palmitic acid (16:0), palmitoleic acid (16:1), stearic acid (18:0), oleic acid (18:1) and linolenic acid (18:3) were among the major fatty acids determined by GC throughout the maturation and ripening of the fruits. The levels of these fatty acids were found to be significantly different (P=0.05) between the three maturity stages. The fruits displayed the level of linoleic acid (0.7%) in low and α-linolenic acid (17.8%) in higher quantities, and the combined levels of linoleic and α-linolenic acid comprised ∼19% (120.1 μg.g dw) of the total fatty acid content in the over ripened fruit. These results show that naturally parthenocarpic date plum fruits have high levels of sugars and organic acids and moderate levels of fatty acids that significantly changed during maturation and ripening. This information can be used by nutritionalists and food technologists to improve the nutrition of local people and develop food products that would be beneficial to human health. © Springer-Verlag 2005.