Chemical guide parameters for Punica granatum cv. 'Mollar' fruit juices processed at industrial scale

To contribute for setting reference guideline for commercial juice from the pomegranate variety 'Mollar', chemical composition of eighteen samples directly obtained and commercialised in 2012 from three different fruit juice factories was investigated. According to the findings, the relative density of direct pomegranate juices varied between 1.061 and 1.064, which correspond to 15.15 and 15.71 °Brix; titratable acidity changed between 2.6 and 2.8 g/L, citric acid between 2.3 and 2.8 g/L, l-malic acid in a range of 1.3-1.4 g/L, and d-isocitric acid at levels less than 20 mg/L. Glucose values ranged from 61.4 to 65.0 g/L, whereas fructose displayed values between 65.3 and 68.0 g/L. The predominant mineral was potassium (2400-2900 mg/L), followed by phosphorous, magnesium, calcium and sodium at levels of 81-89 mg/L, 17.6-28.5 mg/L, 5.8-7.5 mg/L and 4.3-5.3 mg/L, respectively. Chemical determinations of anthocyanin and ellagitannin profiles and amino acids contents were also carry out. Concentrations of anthocyanins in commercialised samples were Cy3,5dG (19.30 ± 3.47 mg/L), followed by Dp3,5dG (17.87 ± 6.74 mg/L) and Cy3G (12.91 ± 6.32 mg/L). Punicalagin levels ranged between 503.70 and 762.85 mg/L, punicalins between 239.9 and 364.5 mg/L, and free ellagic acid level was typically between 268.67 and 389.64 mg/L. The juice samples exhibited high amount of total phenolics (1136-3581 mg/L) as well as high ABTS radical scavenging activity (18-31 mmol Trolox/L).