Assessment of the nutritional potential and content of specialized metabolites of citrus fruits

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional composition of fruits of some citrus species (sweet orange, grapefruit, clementine and kumquat) and to determine their basic physicochemical parameters, bioactive compounds content, and antioxidant capacity. According to the analyzed data, kumquat fruits had the highest dry matter content (18.71%) and total acid content (3.08%), while the highest values of total soluble solids (13.41%), pH value (3.92), vitamin C (53.69 mg/100 g FW), total phenols (162 mg GAE/100 g FW), β-carotene (1053.17 μg/100 g FW), and antioxidant capacity (1.70 mmol TE/kg) were determined in clementine fruits. Considering the nutritional composition of citrus fruits, it can be concluded that they are a rich source of various bioactive compounds, especially vitamin C, carotenoids, and polyphenols, and are characterized by their high antioxidant capacity, which is important for health. Moreover, the cultivation of citrus fruits is an important factor in the Croatian economy, which should be promoted in the future, and the potential of the southern part of Croatia for the cultivation of these citrus fruits should be exploited to the maximum.

Keywords

• sweet orange
• grapefruit
• clementine
• kumquat
• bioactive compounds
• antioxidant capacity