Impact of citric flavanones and limonin in the quality of orange juice

• Grant number: 13/10138-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: March 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Magali Conceição Monteiro da Silva
• Grantee: Magali Conceição Monteiro da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 14/23303-1 - Multi-User Equipment approved in grant 2013/10138-0: liquid Chromatograph (HPLC/DAD), AP.EMU

Abstract

Brazil is the largest orange producer in the world, with more than 789 000 ha cultivated and production of 16.30 million ton in 2013/2014 harvest. Brazil is also the largest producer and exporter of orange juice. In 2012/2013 harvest 1.25 million ton of orange juice were produced, 980,000 ton being FCOJ and 1.15 million ton NFC (205 thousand ton of FCOJ equivalent). Brazilian orange juice exportation amounted to 1.19 million ton, being 920,000 ton FCOJ and 1.15 million ton NFC (205,000 ton FCOJ equivalent). Orange juice is the most consumed beverage in the world, representing 35% among the juices. Orange juice daily consumption has been associated to the prevention of neurodegeneratives and cardiovasculars diseases, and some kinds of cancer, among others, with additional reduction of hypertension risk. These properties are related to the orange juice composition. Orange juice is an important source of bioactive compounds, as vitamin C, flavonoids and caratenoids. Flavonoids are the most important group of bioactive compounds of citrus, mainly flavanones hesperidin and narituin. One determinant feature of the quality of orange juice is the presence of bitterness, considered a negative and critical factor for sensory quality. The limonoid substances, as limonin, are responsible for bitterness in citric fruit juices, even when present in trace amounts. The influence of fruit ripening, use of rootstock and extractor settings on the limonin and flavonoids content of orange juice will allow to know the most important factors for the developing of these compounds in the juice. Only few studies have the approach on factors influencing limonin and flavonoid formation in orange juice from Pêra Rio variety, the main cultivated variety in Brazil and responsible for the most part of the Brazilian exportation of orange juice. The aim of this project is to evaluate the impact of the flavanones hesperidin and nairutin, and limonin on the quality of orange juice, using the high performance liquid chromatography. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MESQUITA, E.; MONTEIRO, M.. Simultaneous HPLC determination of flavonoids and phenolic acids profile in Pera-Rio orange juice. Food Research International, v. 106, p. 54-63, APR 2018. (14/23303-1, 13/10138-0)