Effect of ripening period on composition of pepino (<i>Solanum muricatum</i>) fruit grown in Turkey

Abstract

Pepino is a new crop for Turkey. Raw and mature pepino fruits which were grown in greenhouse in Antalya, Mediterranean region of Turkey, were used for compositional analysis. Moisture, protein, ash, oil, sugar, NDF (Neutral detergent fiber) and ADF (Acid detergent fiber) analysis were done at two stages. Moisture was determined as the main component of the fruit by 93.80 and 91.45% for raw and mature fruit respectively. Pepino fruits have fewer amounts of protein, ash and oil at two stages of raw and mature fruits (0.93, 0.78, 0.46, 0.47, 0.05 and 0.09%, respectively). Sugar is the main component of dry matter especially in mature fruit (7.03%). Also, free sugar contents were determined. The contents of glucose and fructose declined during ripening, whereas sucrose showed an increase in concentration as ripening progressed.