Studies on the Costituents and Processing Methods of Japanese Chestnut

Part V. Organic acids in the edible portion of japanese chestnut

Abstract

Organic acids in the edible portion of Japanese chestnut were separated to nine fractions on siljcagel chromatography, of which five were crystallized as p-bromophenacyl esters, and identified as acetic, formic, succinic, malic, and citric acid, respectively. Another two fractions were concluded to be lactic and α-ketoglutaric acids from Rf values on paper chromatography. On five varieties harvested in 1966 and 1967, malic and citric acids were main components, and acetic, succinic, α-ketoglutaric, and formic acids in these order as minor ones. The content of these acids, especially of acetic acid, in 1967 samples was extremely lower than that in 1966.