Changes in the Organic-Acid Content of Valencia Oranges During Development

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Abstract
The maximum amt. of free acid in Valencia-orange fruits develops early in the season and changes very little from that time on. The conc. of free acids in the juice (mg. per ml.), however, lessens considerably during fruit development. This decrease in free acidity, with the corresponding increase in pH, was due chiefly to the decrease in conc. of free citric acid. Although the malic acid conc. in the juice (mg. per ml.) stayed nearly uniform during the season, the actual amt. in the fruit increased. The conc. of combined acids remained nearly uniform in the fruit, but the absolute amt. per fruit increased. The amts. of combined acids detd. from the alkalinity of the ash were in agreement with the values detd. from the difference between the total- and free-acid radicals. During ripening, the changes in pH of the juice were definitely related to changes in percentages of the total-acid radical in the free form. A similar relation was noted between pH and the % of free acid expressed on a fresh-wt. basis.

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