Proximate and Bioactive Characterisation of Pummelo (Citrus maxima) Albedo from an Assam Local Accession
Priyam Hazarika
Department of Horticulture (Post Harvest Management), College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam - 785013, India.
Tanishka Saikia
Department of Horticulture (Post Harvest Management), College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam - 785013, India.
Dipom Saikia
*
Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh - 791112, India and Department of Food Engineering & Technology, School of Engineering, Tezpur University, Tezpur, Assam - 784028, India.
Soumitra Goswami
Department of Horticulture (Food Science & Technology), College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam - 785013, India.
Bhabesh Deka
Department of Horticulture (Fruit Science), College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam - 785013, India.
Mayurakshi Dutta
Department of Horticulture (Food Science & Technology), College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam - 785013, India.
Afrid Ali
Department of Horticulture (Food Science & Technology), College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam - 785013, India.
Munmi Bora
Department of Horticulture (Post Harvest Management), College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam - 785013, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Pummelo peel is commonly discarded following fruit consumption, although its albedo may provide a source of constituents relevant to food processing. This study assessed the physical characteristics, proximate composition and selected bioactive constituents of fresh albedo from the Assam local pummelo (Citrus maxima) accession Pum-3. Fully mature fruits, harvested at approximately 30 weeks after flowering, were obtained from the AAU-Citrus and Plantation Crops Research Station, Tinisukia, Assam. Fruit, whole-peel and albedo weights were recorded for three fruits. Moisture, ash and crude protein contents were determined using established analytical procedures, while total phenolic content and ascorbic acid were estimated by the Folin–Ciocalteu and dye titration methods, respectively. Analyses were conducted in triplicate, and results were expressed as means with standard deviations. Mean fruit, whole-peel and albedo weights were 1100 g, 460 g and 302 g, respectively. Albedo represented approximately 27.45 % of fresh fruit weight. The albedo contained 78 ± 2.97 % moisture, 0.098 ± 0.0072 % ash and 1.313 ± 0.0346 % crude protein. Total phenolic content was 652 ± 3.50 mg 100 g-1, and ascorbic acid content was 29.629 ± 0.189 mg 100 g-1. These findings describe a moisture-rich material with measurable phenolic and ascorbic acid contents. Further research is needed to assess its suitability for specific value-added food applications and to establish the effects of processing on these constituents.
Keywords: Citrus maxima, pummelo, Pum-3 accession, Assam, albedo, fruit peel, proximate composition, total phenolic content, ascorbic acid