Chemical properties and antioxidant activity attributes of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars introduced in Béni Mellal Region-Morocco.

Abstract

Pomegranate fruit is generally consumed fresh or processed into food products, depending mainly on its composition, characteristics, and technological quality. This study aims to assess the variability in terms of physicochemical and biochemical properties of four foreign pomegranate cultivars, newly introduced in Béni Mellal region, to better know their fruit potential in comparison with the local dominant cultivar "Sefri Ouled Abdellah". Total polyphenol contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), total anthocyanin contents (TAC), soluble sugar contents (SSC), titrable acidity (TA), pH, total soluble solids (Brix°), and juice color (L*, a*, b*, Chroma C*, and hue°) were determined in pomegranate juices. The radical scavenging activity was measured using DPPH to evaluate the antioxidant potential. For physicochemical descriptors, the variance was highly significant. The cultivar Wonderful has the highest acidity, followed by Smith (2.449 g/100 mL and 3.11 g/100 mL). Wonderful and Purple Queen recorded higher values for all biochemical parameters except for soluble sugars. In fact, cultivars rich in anthocyanins, polyphenols, and flavonoids presented the highest antioxidant activity. Regarding Sefri Ouled Abdellah, this cultivar has the highest values of SSC (154.54 ± 19.08 g/L). The matrix of correlations revealed significant positives among variables, particularly DPPH, TPC, TAC, and TFC. This research has highlighted the nutritional and functional potential of the introduced cultivars compared to "Sefri Ouled Abdellah," which will help in proposing and orienting their exploitation in agro-food industries.