Physical and Chemical Properties of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Fruit in Maturation Stage

Twelve pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars obtained from different growing regions of Iran were analyzed for their physical and chemical properties. These properties included fruit fresh weight, volume and density, peel thickness, soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), EC, pH, vitamin C, ellagic acid content of juice and peel, total antioxidant activity of peel and juice and etc. Fruit weight ranged from 103.38 to 505.00 g and fruit volume from 99.41 to 547.88 cm . Similarly, average fruit density ranged from 3 0.91 g.cm to 1.04 g.cm and peel thickness of the fruit was recorded from 1.60 to 6.01 mm. Reducing sugars 33 ranged between 13.89 to 29.83 g/100 ml, total soluble solids ranged from 15.17 to 22.03 (°Brix) and titratable acidity ranged between 0.35% and 3.36% in pomegranate juices. pH and vitamin C content also ranged between 2.75-4.14 and 9.68-17.45 mg/100 ml, respectively. According to the results of HPLC, ellagic acid content of juice and peel ranged between 1-2.38 mg/100 ml and 10-50.00 mg/100 g, respectively. Total antioxidant activity measured by FRAP assay with a range of 225.17-705.50 (mmol/100 g) and 157.33-419.33 (mmol/100 ml) in peel and juice, respectively.