Flavor characteristics and antioxidant capacities of hihatsumodoki (Piper retrofractum Vahl) fresh fruit at three edible maturity stages

• Published in: Journal of food science and technology Vol. 55; no. 4; pp. 1295 - 1305
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Makoto, Hirose, Naoto, Ohno, Suguru, Arakaki, Mika, Wada, Koji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 01.04.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amino acids; Antioxidants; Chemical composition; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Flavor; Flavors; Food quality; Food Science; Fruits; Maturation; Maturity; Nutrition; Organic acids; Original; Original Article; Phenolic compounds; Piper retrofractum; Piperine; Principal components analysis; Studies; Sugar; Sweetness; Umami; Antioxidant capacity; Maturity stage; Piperine; Flavor; Piper retrofractum
• ISSN: 0022-1155; 0975-8402
• DOI: 10.1007/s13197-018-3040-2

To determine the effect of maturity stage on the food attributes of hihatsumodoki ( Piper retrofractum Vahl) fresh fruit, the flavor characteristics and antioxidant capacities were investigated at green (GM), orange (OM), and red maturity (RM) stages. Total organic acids, total free amino acids (FAA), and piperine decreased with increasing fruit maturation, reaching minima at the RM stage. Conversely, total sugars and the FAA that contribute to both umami and sweetness were the highest RM stage. Principal component analysis revealed that the volatile composition of the fruit at the GM stage was clearly different from that at the other stages. The DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content, as measures of antioxidant capacity, decreased with increasing fruit maturation from GM to RM, which was consistent with the changes in piperine content. Therefore, the maturity stage has a significant influence on the flavor and antioxidant characteristics of hihatsumodoki fresh fruit.