Characterization of fruit quality attributes and nutritional composition of ten blueberry cultivars

Abstract

The blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) have gained consumer interest worldwide for its antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and blood pressure reducing properties. The objective of our study was to characterize 10 blueberry cultivars for firmness, weight, caliber, macronutrient content, anthocyanins, titratable acidity, and soluble solids. Results indicated that the characterized fruit parameters varied between 12.89–18.68 °Brix for soluble solids, 0.57%–0.79% for titratable acidity, 57.0–81.6 g mm -1 for firmness, 1.74 and 2.80 g for average fruit weight, 14.7 and 17.9 mm for average fruit diameter, 1.80–15.55 mg L-1 for anthocyanins, and 14.4%–21.6% for dry matter content. Fruit nutrient concentration (mg 100 g-1 fresh fruit) ranged from 63.6 to 104.0 mg N 100 g-1, 7.0 to 12.2 mg P 100 g-1, 76.4 to 122.7 mg K 100 g-1, 4.5 to 9.8 mg Ca 100 g-1, 3.6 to 6.9 mg Mg 100 g-1, and 3.7 to 5.8 mg S 100 g-1. The cultivar with the highest overall values was ‘Last Call’, while the cultivars with the lowest values were ‘Brigitta’, ‘Liberty’, and ‘Cargo’. There were positive and negative correlations between the characterization parameters, mainly 1) less firm cultivars, ‘Legacy’, ´Duke’, and ‘Camelia’, were positively correlated for the K concentration, 2) negative correlations between titratable acidity and the K concentration in ‘Last Call’, ‘Cargo’, ‘Brigitta’, and ‘Liberty’, and 3) positive correlations between the P concentration and soluble solid content in ‘Last Call’, ‘Camelia’, and ‘Brigitta’.