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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Healthy Processed Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #259837
Title: Limonoid content of sour orange varieties

Author
item Breksa, Andrew
item KHAN, TRACY - University Of California
item Zukas, Audrius
item Hidalgo, Marlene
item Lee-Yuen, Michelle

Submitted to: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/14/2011
Publication Date: 3/29/2011
Citation: Breksa III, A.P., Khan, T., Zukas, A.A., Hidalgo, M., Lee-Yuen, M.S. 2011. Limonoid content of sour orange varieties. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 91(6): 1789-1794. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.4383.

Interpretive Summary: Modern Citrus cultivars are thought to have arisen from three parents- the (pummelo), the mandarin, and citron. Taxological and genetic data support that sweet and sour oranges share a common parentage. However, as their name suggests the organoleptic properties of the fruit from these two families is distinctly different. Analysis of the limonoid content of sour orange varieties has been limited. This report represents one of the first analyses of sour orange juices for their total limonoid content. Sour oranges are similar to sweet oranges in their limonoid aglycone and A-ring contents, but distinctly different in their limonoid glucoside content.

Technical Abstract: Modern Citrus cultivars are thought to have arisen from three parents- the (pummelo), the mandarin, and citron. Taxological and genetic data support that sweet and sour oranges share a common parentage. However, as their name suggests the organoleptic properties of the fruit from these two families is distinctly different. Analysis of the limonoid content of sour orange varieties has been limited. Juice samples prepared from a selection of sour orange cultivars were evaluated for their limonoid A-ring lactone, aglycone, and glucoside contents. Limonoate A-ring lactone concentrations ranged from 11.1 to 44. 9 mg/L, whereas nomilinoate A-ring lactone levels were found not to exceed 1.2 mg/L. Total limonoid aglycone and total limonoid glucoside concentrations varied from 2.4 mg/L to 18.4 mg/L and 149.0 mg/L to 612.3 mg/L, respectively. Limonoid glucoside profiling by LC-MS suggest that the sour oranges are distinctly different from sweet oranges and other citrus species. Limonoid aglycone and A-ring contents across sweet and sour oranges are similar, whereas limonoid glucoside profiles are distinctly different. Juice prepared from C. maderaspatana had the highest limonoid concentrations among the samples tested and could potentially used for the isolation of limonoid A-ring lactones and glucosides.