Rind spot and ascorbic acid in the flavedo of citrus fruits

Abstract
Ascorbic acid was investigated in the flavedo of Citrus junos, C. reticulata cv F-2428 and C. unshiu in connection with rind spot seen in citrus fruits on the tree at the ripening stage. Total ascorbic acid contents were 252, 165 and 229 mg l00g−1 in the sound flavedo of C. junos, C. reticulata and C. unshiu respectively. The ratio of dehydroascorbic acid to total ascorbic acid in the flavedo increased two- to threefold in flavedo with rind spot compared with sound flavedo. Similarly it increased in the flavedo of fruit with an artificial disorder resembling rind spot, induced by treatment with rind oils and some of their compounds. These data suggest that rind oil may be one of the causes of rind spot and may also be related to the oxidation of ascorbic acid around oil cells.

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