Chromaticity Differences in Evaluation of Fruit Quality of Some Apricot Genotypes for Fresh Consumption

摘要

Fruit colour is particularly important, and specially when these are marketed fresh, and consumed without peeling. Colour of ripen apricot fruits is determined, among others, by their carotenoids content, type and ratio. The present paper proposes anobjective measurement of colour by the use of colorimetric tristimulus systems CIE L*a*b* and CIE L*C*h. To this goal, fresh fruits from Dacia and Excelsior fruits were analysed and used as references to evaluate IS selections with extra-early or mediummaturation. Spectra acquisitions were effected by reflection in the visible range (400-700 nm) with an Hunter Lab MiniScan XE Plus spectrophotometer. In parallel, carotenoids content was analysed by the spectrophotometric method. When compared to Dacia two extra-early hybrids (77.4.73BV and 85.4.104BIH) proved superior or at least equivalent in terms of colour and carotenoids. Three medium maturation hybrids (5.5.100BIII, 85.4.95BIII and 82.12.91BIV) contained more carotenoids than Excelsior and were also characterised by a more yellow coloration. Results demonstrated that it is possible to differentiate genotypes, using colour parameters and technical 'fingerprint'-type. This highly advantageous method is not-destructive, not toxic and does not pollute environment, as those using chemical reactions. Another obvious advantage is rapidity, analysis of a sample being completed within 5 minutes.