Analysis of Functional Substances in the New Cucumis melo Cultivar ‘Chammel’

Abstract

‘Chammel’ is a new breed from a cross between oriental melon and melon. It has an orange pulp similar to the melon, while its shape is similar to the oriental melon. Additionally, it has a high sugar content, crisp taste, and a strong resistance to powdery mildew. The contents of free soluble carbohydrates, citric acid, and β-carotene in the ‘Chammel’ extracts were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to identify the functional substances present. The moisture content was not significantly different between the oriental melon ‘Kkulstar’ and ‘Chammel’. The glucose and sucrose contents were higher in ‘Chammel’ than in the oriental melon. The citric acid content of ‘Chammel’ was twofold higher than in the oriental melon. The β-carotene content of the oriental melon was 1.3 mg·kg-1 FW and that of ‘Saekomchammel’ was 54.7 mg·kg-1 FW, which was 42 times higher than that observed in the oriental melon. Moreover, the β-carotene content of ‘Dalkomchammel’ was 107.0 mg·kg-1 FW, which was twice that of ‘Saekomchammel’ and 82.3 times that of the oriental melon. Therefore, it is clear that ‘Chammel’ contains higher amounts of citric acid and β-carotene than the oriental melon. The citric acid of ‘Chammel’ can be used in a variety of beverages. On the other hand, β-carotene, a substance that is converted in the body into vitamin A and acts as an antioxidant, is an important component in health food. These applications make the highly functional cultivar line of ‘Chammel’ a good breed for continued research.