Nutritional quality evaluation of different varieties of pomegranate under climatic conditions of Faisalabad

Abstract

The nutritional value of different pomegranate verities was determined in the laboratoryof Biochemistry, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad Pakistan to studythe effectiveness of pomegranate juice as health responsive. The results showed thattested pomegranate varieties contained peels and seed percentage range from 34-40%and 28-39% respectively. Juice contained a much higher remarkable content of totalsoluble solids ranged from (15-19%), reducing sugar (10 to 14%), non-reducing sugars(2.8 to 5%), total invert sugars (13.8 to 18%), Vitamin-C (10.5 to12.6 mg/100 mL) andacidity (0.9 to 1.7%). Total phenols and antioxidants were higher in Sultan (1101µg GAEL-1 (gallic acid equivalants) and 41.5% DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) inhibitionrespectively) and lowest in NARC-1(1012 – 1101 µg GAE L-1 and 25.7% respectively).Therefore, the current results suggest that nutritional status of pomegranate variety,Sultan was better than Turnab Ghulabi, NARC-1, NARC-2 and Kandhari. It can be directedto incorporate Sultan (pomegranate) fruit juice for better nutritional status.