Article ID: QH-150
Fruit consumption is highly recommended due to its health benefits. Passiflora species are a good source of vitamins and antioxidant compounds such as carotenoids that are associated with a reduction in cellular oxidative processes, as well as against cardiovascular diseases and cancer development. As a result, purple passion fruit (P. edulis) and yellow passion fruit (P. edulis f. flavicarpa) are economically important crops that are cultivated based on the demand for their flavor and nutraceutical properties. The objective of this study was to determine the components of carotenoids and sugars in the pulp juice of passion fruit. Two Ecuadorian yellow passion fruit strains (‘INIAP 2009’ and ‘POR1’), one Ecuadorian purple passion fruit variety (‘Gulupa’) and two Asian hybrid cultivars (P. edulis × P. edulis f. flavicarpa; ‘Summer Queen’ and ‘Ruby Star’) were used for this research. The results showed that ‘POR1’ had high acidity and contained all carotenoids, but had the lowest amount of vitamin C, whereas ‘INIAP 2009’ had high contents of organic acids, vitamin C and β-cryptoxanthin. ‘Gulupa’ had the lowest acidity, α-carotene and citric acid content, but the highest amount of glucose, fructose, malic acid and vitamin C; this variety also showed high values of β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin. On the other hand, ‘Summer Queen’ had high sucrose, malic acid, α and β-carotene and good amount of vitamin C, while ‘Ruby Star’ had high amounts of α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and citric acid, but low vitamin C content. These results can be used for further breeding programs focused on improving passion fruit quality.
