Postharvest Respiration, Ethylene Production, and Compositional Changes of Chinese Jujube Fruits1

Abstract

Abstract Production rates of CO2 and C2H4 by fruits of jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Lam.), picked at the whitish-green stage and held at 20°C for 15 days, followed a nonclimacteric pattern. Skin color changed from whitish-green to reddish-brown with fruit maturation. Relative to most other fresh fruits, Chinese jujubes are lower in water content and titratable acidity, and higher in total sugars (mostly reducing sugars) and phenolics. Chinese jujubes are very rich in ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) content which increased with maturation to 559 mg/100 g fresh weight. Fruits held at 0° for 26 days exhibited sheet pitting due to chilling injury.