Fruit Quality and Primary and Secondary Metabolites Content in Eight Varieties of Blood Oranges

In Europe, the cultivation of blood oranges for fresh consumption is increasing due to their excellent organoleptic and nutraceutical properties, which give this fruit the status of functional food. Blood orange has a higher content of bioactive compounds, which confer additional benefits for human health. The main morphological and qualitative parameters were studied together with the content of primary metabolites by H-1 NMR and secondary metabolites by HPLC-ESI-DAD-MSn from eight varieties of blood orange grafted on Citrus macrophylla. Tarocco Dalmuso was the variety with the highest values of weight (350.6 g), caliber (86.4 mm and 88.6 mm) and juice content (214.2 g). Tarocco Gallo obtained the most interesting qualitative parameters (13.95 degrees Brix; 22.75 MI). The most intense red juice was in Sanguinelli (a* = 9.45) and, in crust, it was in Tarocco Scire (a* = 40.13). The most abundant primary metabolites were proline, aspartate and asparagine, citric acid and sucrose. The results showed that the juice of the Moro had the highest levels of total flavones and flavanones (90.07 and 592.88 mg L-1, respectively), and Sanguinelli in total anthocyanins (101.06 mg L-1). To conclude, Tarocco Dalmuso obtained the best values of agronomic parameters, and Moro and Sanguinelli in the content of phenolic compounds.

Automated summary

The cultivation of blood oranges for fresh consumption in Europe is increasing due to their excellent organoleptic and nutraceutical properties. Blood oranges have a higher content of bioactive compounds, which confer additional benefits for human health. The main morphological and qualitative parameters were studied, and different varieties of blood oranges were compared in terms of their agronomic parameters and content of primary and secondary metabolites.