Evaluation of the fruit and juice characteristics of the blooded and pigmented sweet orange varieties

• Grant number: 07/07036-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2008
• End date: December 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Rocha Latado
• Grantee: Vanessa Voigt
• Host Institution: Instituto Agronômico (IAC). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Although Brazil is the worldwide leadership in the production of oranges and frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ), a low consumption of the fresh fruits, as in natura or pasteurized juice, the preferred ones for the Brazilian consumer, is observed in the domestic market. Therefore, there is a great interest in the development of new products and processes of production of citrus varieties specifics for in natura consumption or production of juice minimally processed as the pasteurized one. Two groups of oranges that increasing of the commercial importance in Brazil are: a) Blood oranges, that would be characterized by the red-intense coloration of the flesh and the juice, due to the production of anthocyanins. These varieties have greater interest and commercial value in Mediterran countries and India. B) Red-fleshed oranges, that present red coloration in the flesh, due to the presence of higher contend of carotenoids (Beta-carotene, Lycopene, Xanthins and others), in comparison with the yellow oranges. Red-fleshed varieties and its products will probably have a big appeal for consumption because carotenoids present nutritional and medicinal functions. Lycopene, for example, appears currently as one of the most powerful natural antioxidant agents, being suggested in the prevention of cancer, whereas the beta-carotene is considered as a pro-vitamin A. The anthocyanins can acts as a protective substance against the oxidative stress, illnesses of the heart, certain types of cancers and other related illnesses, due its capacity to suppress free radicals. The aim of this project is to evaluate the fruit and juice characteristics of the red-fleshed and blood sweet orange varieties, in order to determine the best point to fruit harvest. Another objective is to study the effect of the stage of maturation of fruits in the accumulation of pigments. Finally, it will be study the effects of low temperature storage in the accumulation of anthocyanins in fruits of the blood varieties.