Influence of persimmon astringency type on physico-chemical changes from the green stage to commercial harvest

• Physico-chemical changes during maturation were evaluated in ten persimmon cultivars.
• The influence of astringency type was determined.
• Soluble tannins content and antioxidant capacity were affected by astringency type.
• The accumulation pattern of individual sugars was affected by astringency type.
• Carotenoids flesh content and acetaldehyde production were cultivar-dependent.

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki, Thunb.) cultivars are currently classified into four astringency types based on two significant characteristics, astringency of fruit at harvest and variable pollination (PCNA, PVNA, PCA, PVA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of astringency type on physicochemical changes occurring during persimmon maturation. To this end, unseeded fruits of 10 persimmon cultivars of four persimmon types were evaluated in three maturity stages according to skin colour: green, colour-breaking and orange-reddish. The Principal Component Analysis showed that soluble tannins content, total antioxidant capacity, total soluble solids and the accumulation pattern of individual sugars were affected by astringency type. During maturation, all the cultivars exhibited a decline of firmness, and also increased flesh carotenoids and acetaldehyde production. Such changes were cultivar-dependent rather than type-dependent. All the cultivars also shared a similar CO2 production trend.