The Distribution of Ascorbic Acid, Dehydroascorbic Acid, and Diketogulonic Acid in the Acerola Fruit at Different Stages of Development

Abstract

1. The values obtained for ascorbic acid (AA), dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), and diketogulonic acid (DKA) at different stages of growth of the fruit indicated that ascorbic acid is fairly stable in the acerola fruit and that the small content of DHA and DKA, especially of the second, are products of decomposition rather than of normal metabolism. 2. In the fresh fruit at all stages of development the content of AA was never below 90 percent of the sum of the three components studied. DHA or DKA never attained individual values above 6 percent; however, the content of DHA was always slightly greater than that of DKA. 3. In the frozen bud and rudimentary fruit there was a very significant increase in DHA and DKA and a corresponding reduction in AA. However, at higher stages of development AA was always in the neighborhood of 90 percent. There was more DKA than DHA in the frozen fruit. 4. During the formation of the rudimentary fruit (stages 1 to 2) there was a rapid increase in ascorbic acid, probably due to an optimum condition of the enzymatic system in the fruit responsible for ascorbic acid synthesis. 5. In the red-ripe fruit there was a significant lowering of ascorbic acid content.