Date Fruit Ripening with Degradation of Chlorophylls, Carotenes, and Other Pigments

Abstract

Date fruit contains a variety of polyphenols such as phenolic acids, flavonoid glycosides, and certain hydroxycinnamates for mediating the biological effects. It is important to analyze the degradation of chlorophylls, carotenes, and other pigments in different stages of date fruit ripening by studying the association of date fruit ripening with these pigments. The study has aimed to examine the degradation of pigments during the ripening stages of two selected date fruits. Ten different samples were gathered of Hilwa and Sullaj dates where each sample represented different ripening stages. The samples were collected during July and August, also known as the ripening months. The outcome of the study exhibited degradation of chlorophyll throughout its maturation stages, whereas the carotene degradation was comparatively low. It also demonstrated the degradation of anthocyanins in both Hilwa and Sullaj dates. The study results also implied that the absorption of ultraviolet rays appears to be the same in the rapid degradation of pigments among date fruits.