Fruit Quality Characteristics in Bergamot (Citrus Bergamia)

Abstract

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia), is a citrus fruit belonging to the family Rutaceae, of the genus Citrus. The origin of the bergamot still remains mysterious. This plant has been successfully cultivated in Calabria (Italy) since the 18th century in a small area with the ideal habitat. Production is mostly limited to the Ionian Sea coastal areas of the province of Reggio di Calabria in Italy, to such an extent that it is a symbol of the entire city. After realizing the health benefits of bergamot fruits farmers started their plantations in Turkey. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the aromatic profiles in the fruit rind and juice of bergamot through SPME headspace methods using (CAR/PDMS/DVB, PDMS) coupled with GC/MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) technique and to determine the physicochemical parameters (color parameters, total antioxidant, and total phenol). The volatile compounds are known to contain different biochemical substances that can be classified as aldehydes, alcohols, esters, terpenic compounds, and other compounds. Most terpenoids form from the juice of bergamot and its major terpene compound is d-limonene. The headspace technique led to the identification of 91 among which d-limonene was the most abundant compound. Moreover, a total of 10 different aldehydes, 11 esters, 19 alcohols, 1 acid, and 50 terpenes were identified and quantified in the fruit rind and juice of bergamots. Also, as a result of this study, radical scavenging activity (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) and total phenols were determined to be 92.53% (fruit juice) and 523.7 (fruit juice) mg gallic acid equivalent 100 mL-1, respectively. The L*, a*, b*, hue, and chroma values of the fruit crust color were 76.53, 0.89, 59.82, 84.16, and 59.83, respectively. © 2024 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.