Determination of Biochemical Contents of Myrtle (Myrtus Communis L.) Fruits at Different Maturity Levels

The aim of this study was to determine some physical properties and biochemical contents of myrtle fruits at three different maturity stages. For this purpose, the fruits were harvested on 3 October (pre-maturity), 1 November ( beginning of maturity) and 29 November (fully mature) in 2015. In the study, L* and b* values, which are among the skin color values of the fruits, did not change with maturity, while the a* value increased with maturity from -8.21 (1st period) to 4.40 (3rd period). While the total soluble solid content of the fruits increased with maturity, the titratable acid content decreased. Total phenolic content of myrtle fruit was found to be 1408, 794 and 757.6mg 100 g(-1) in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd periods, respectively. The quercetin content of myrtle decreased significantly with maturity. While the quercetin content in fruits was 10.20 mu g g(-1) in the 1st period, it decreased to 6.33 mu g g(-1) in the 3rd period. It was determined that the tannic acid content of myrtle fruits also decreased statistically significantly with maturity. In addition, malic and citric acids contents in fruits increased statistically significantly with maturity, from 790.5 and 86.6 mu g g(-1) in the 1st period, respectively, to 1037.6 and 219.8 mu g g(-1) in the 3rd period, respectively. The tartaric acid content in myrtle fruits, on the other hand, decreased statistically significantly with maturity, from 2063.3 mu g g(-1) (1st period) to 754.1 mu g g(-1) (3rd period). As a result, it was determined that myrtle fruits differed significantly in terms of biochemical content according to the ripening level.