Jujube Fruit Research Articles

Influences of low temperature on the postharvest quality and antioxidant capacity of winter jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Mill. cv. Dongzao)

Winter jujube inevitably suffers from rapid oxidation after harvest, leading to quality deterioration. Temperature plays an important role in the ripening and senescence of fruit. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different temperatures on the quality parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, and antioxidant enzyme-related gene expressions of winter jujube. Jujube fruit were stored at room temperature (RT: 25 °C) and low temperature (LT: 0 °C) for 35 days, respectively. Compared with RT, LT maintained higher firmness and lower respiratory rate, inhibited the increase of weight loss, decay rate, total soluble solids (TSS) and reddening rate, delayed the decrease of titratable acid (TA) and ascorbic acid (AsA) content. LT-stored jujube fruit also showed higher antioxidant enzyme activities and related gene expression (Mn-SOD, APX, and GR, except CAT). We observed a significant correlation between fruit quality parameters and antioxidant enzymes, suggesting that fruit senescence is closely related to antioxidant ability. In short, LT delayed the ripening rate by inducing a series of physiological and molecular reactions, thereby improving antioxidant levels and storage quality.

Integrative Morphological, Physiological, Proteomics Analyses of Jujube Fruit Development Provide Insights Into Fruit Quality Domestication From Wild Jujube to Cultivated Jujube.

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) was domesticated from wild jujube (Z. jujuba var. spinosa). Here, integrative physiological, metabolomic, and comparative proteomic analyses were performed to investigate the fruit expansion and fruit taste components in a jujube cultivar ‘Junzao’ and a wild jujube ‘Qingjiansuanzao’ with contrasting fruit size and taste. We revealed that the duration of cell division and expansion largely determined the final fruit size, while the intercellular space in the mesocarp dictated the ratio of mesocarp volume in mature fruits. The high levels of endogenous gibbereline3 (GA) and zeatin in the growing fruit of ‘Junzao’ were associated with their increased fruit expansion. Compared with ‘Junzao,’ wild jujube accumulated lower sugars and higher organic acids. Furthermore, several protein co-expression modules and important member proteins correlated with fruit expansion, sugar synthesis, and ascorbic acid metabolism were identified. Among them, GA20OX involved in GA biosynthesis was identified as a key protein regulating fruit expansion, whereas sucrose-6-phosphate synthase (SPS) and neutral invertase (NINV) were considered as key enzymes promoting sugar accumulation and as major factors regulating the ratio of sucrose to hexose in jujube fruits, respectively. Moreover, the increase of Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-Malate dehydrogenase (NAD-MDH) activity and protein abundance were associated with the malic acid accumulation, and the high accumulation of ascorbic acid in wild jujube was correlated with the elevated abundance of GalDH, ZjAPXs, and MDHAR1, which are involved in the ascorbic acid biosynthesis and recycling pathways. Overall, these results deepened the understanding of mechanisms regulating fruit expansion and sugar/acids metabolisms in jujube fruit.

Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly for Chinese Sour Jujube and Insights Into Its Genome Evolution and Domestication Signature.

Sour or wild jujube fruits and dried seeds are popular food all over the world. In this study, we reported a high-quality genome assembly of sour jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa), with a size of 406 Mbp and scaffold N50 of 30.3 Mbp, which experienced only γ hexaploidization event, without recent genome duplication. Population structure analysis identified four jujube subgroups (two domesticated ones, i.e., D1 in West China and D2 in East/SouthEast China, semi-wild, and wild), which underwent an evolutionary history of a significant decline of effective population size during the Last Glacial Period. The respective selection signatures of three subgroups were discovered, such as strong peaks on chromosomes #3 in D1, #1 in D2, and #4 in wild. Genes under the most significant selection on chromosomes #4 in wild were confirmed to be involved in fruit variations among jujube accessions, in transcriptomic analysis. Our study offered novel insights into the jujube population structure and domestication and provided valuable genomic resources for jujube improvement in stress response and fruit flavor in the future.

Performance evaluation of phase change material (PCM) based hybrid photovoltaic/thermal solar dryer for drying arid fruits

Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) and Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) the most important fruit crops that can grow in India's hot arid regions. The perishable nature of Indian jujube and date fruits leads to post-harvest loss. Both of these fruits are highly perishable, containing more than 80% moisture. Moisture needs to be reduced to less than 20% for storing it for a longer period of time. A phase change material (PCM) based hybrid solar dryer was developed, which consisted of the collector of area 1.06 m2 and two drying trays made of SS (0.50 m2) and that two half trays (0.24 m2). The performance of the developed PCM dryer was evaluated by drying fresh Indian jujube and date palm fruits having an initial moisture content of 65–80% (wet basis) and compared with the developed dryer without PCM. The drying system works so that phase-change material stores the thermal energy during sunshine hours and releases it at night. Therefore, the dryer is effectively operative for the next 5–6 h. The temperature of the drying chamber was observed as 6 °C higher than the ambient temperature in July 2020 during date palm drying after sunshine hours till midnight and it falls gradually, and temperature in the drying chamber was observed as 5°Celsius higher than the ambient temperature in January 2021 during Indian jujube drying. The variations in moisture content (wet basis) of the Indian jujube fruit are reduced from 80% to 22% within seven days by using the dryer with PCM and in 9 days dryer without PCM. In date palm fruit, MC reduced from 65 to 20% in 6 days in the dryer with PCM and eight days without PCM. The thermal efficiency (η) of PCM based hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) solar dryer (η = 18.0%) was found better than that of natural convection mode without PCM based hybrid solar dryer (η = 15.8%). The developed solar dryer provides a promising alternative for drying other arid food produced after sunshine hours with a real-time data acquisition system. It is also found to be superior in retaining quality.

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction as a green route for hydrolysis of bound phenolics in selected wild fruits: Detection and systematic characterization using GC–MS–TIC method

This research work reports ultrasonic-assisted hydrolysis and characterization of free and bound phenolics in fruits of two wild medicinal plants such as olive and jujube by using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Total Ion Current technique. The results of present study revealed the presence of seven to eleven phenolic compounds (free and bound form) in tested wild fruits. Among other phenolic acids detected, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (62.19 mg/kg dry weight) and trans-cinnamic acid (31.41 mg/kg dry weight) were dominant in olive fruit, and in case of jujube fruit, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid and trans-cinnamic were detected to be the major phenolic acids at the levels of 10.00 and 7.71 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. In present research work, the ultrasonic-assisted hydrolysis represented an effective green process for release of bound phenolics from selected wild fruits. These results also advocate potential uses of tested wild fruits as promising source of valuable phenolic ingredients to be used for developing nutraceutical and functional food.

The effects of drying temperature on the kinetics, color, structure, and pectin composition of Zizyphus jujuba Mill. cv. Junzao

Drying kinetics, color, and texture changes in different drying temperatures of jujubes were investigated in this study. With the increase of temperature, the drying time reached a minimum (140 min) at 80℃. At the temperature of 40℃, the retention of the original color was the greatest (ΔE = 1.66); similar results were also reflected by the measured pulp browning (4.186 ± 0.350 Abs/g) and 5-HMF (0.517 ± 0.044 mg/g). After drying, the fruit hardness decreased to 55.91%–86.59% of the initial (2,543.2 ± 181.4 g). SEM showed that the HAD temperature exceeded 60℃ and the pulp tissue sharp dramatically, causing the fruit to harden. Affected by drying temperature and polygalacturonase, WSP increased in drying, whereas CSP and NSP showed the opposite trend, and they were significantly correlated with the texture of fruits. The results expanded our understanding of the jujube drying process and provided guidance for controlling the quality of jujube during HAD processing. Practical applications The drying method of jujube fruit in China is special, which is a combination of air drying and hot air drying. However, discoloration, shrinkage, and other quality deterioration occurred during the drying process, significantly affecting the quality of jujube fruit. In this study, semi-air-dried jujubes were used to investigate the color and texture during hot air drying. These results will provide valuable information to the pilot or industrial scale processors and also served as an operational guide for the jujube fruit drying process.

THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE JUJUBE FRUITS AT DIFFERENT MATURATION STAGES

The effects of maturation stages on some physical and chemical properties of the jujube fruits were investigated. The maturation stages of the jujube fruits were described as green, yellow, half-red and red maturation. The physical properties and chemical composition of the jujube fruit significantly changed depending on the maturation stage. The size and weight of the jujube fruits increased, and the peel color changed from green to red with the maturation. The content of water-soluble vitamins, trans-resveratrol, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the jujube fruits decreased during the maturation. The trans-resveratrol content of the jujube fruits was investigated for the first time and no trans-resveratrol content could be detected at red maturation stage. The major organic acid and sugar at the red maturation stage were found to be malic acid and sucrose, respectively. The phenolic composition also changed, but these changes showed unstable trend during the maturation. The major phenolic compound was catechin at the green maturation stage, whereas chlorogenic acid dominated at the red maturation stage. The jujube fruit is rich in minerals especially potassium and no changes in the mineral contents except for copper was observed between green and red maturation stages.

Analysis of volatility characteristics of five jujube varieties in Xinjiang Province, China, by HS-SPME-GC/MS and E-nose.

In this study, headspace solid‐phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (HS‐SPME‐GC/MS) was used to identify individual volatile compounds in five jujube varieties, and E‐nose was used to identify their flavor. The results showed that a total of 45 volatile compounds were detected by GC‐MS in the five varieties, and the proportion of acids was the highest (38.29%–54.95%), followed by that of aldehydes (22.94%–47.93%) and esters (6.33%–26.61%). Moreover, different varieties had obviously different volatile components. E‐nose analysis showed that the R7 and R9 sensors were more sensitive to the aroma of jujube than other sensors. The strong response of R7 sensor was attributed to terpenes (or structurally similar substances) in jujube fruit, such as 1‐penten‐3‐one, 2‐octenal, (E)‐2‐heptanaldehyde, and (E)‐2‐hexenal and that of R9 sensor was attributed to the cyclic volatile components such as benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, and methyl benzoate. The multivariate data analysis (PCA, OPLS‐DA, and HCA) of the results of GC/MS and E‐nose showed that the five varieties could be divided into three groups: (1) Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Huizao (HZ) and Z. jujuba cv. Junzao (JZ). Acids were the main volatile components for this group (accounting for 47.44% and 54.95%, respectively); (2) Z. jujuba cv. Hamidazao (HMDZ). This group had the most abundant volatile components (41), and the concentrations were also the highest (1285.43 µg/kg); (3) Winter jujube 1 (Z. jujuba cv. Dongzao, WJ1) and Winter jujube 2 (Z. jujuba cv. Dongzao, WJ2). The proportion of acids (38.38% and 38.29%) and aldehydes (40.35% and 38.19%) were similar in the two varieties. Therefore, the combination of headspace solid‐phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry and E‐nose could quickly and accurately identify the volatile components in jujube varieties from macro‐ and microperspectives. This study can provide guidance for the evaluation and distinguishing of jujube varieties and jujube cultivation and processing.

Geographical and Varietal Traceability of Chinese Jujubes Based on Physical and Nutritional Characteristics.

Chinese jujube fruits are known for their high nutritional and functional values. To protect advantageous regional jujube fruits, it is important to monitor quality indicators and trace the origin and variety. In this study, 31 quality indicators of Chinese jujubes collected from 6 main producing areas were determined. According to different origins and varieties, Chinese jujube fruits were divided into five and six categories, respectively. To simplify the parameters, eight of the main characteristics, namely, soluble sugar content, fresh mass, edible rate, Na, Mg, K, Zn, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), were screened based on multiple comparison, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA). According to the eight main parameters, it was found that that both the categorical and cross-validated classification accuracy of linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were 100%. The discrimination accuracy of the testing set samples based on the orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model were 90 and 93% for geographical and varietal classification, respectively. This indicated that the eight main parameters could be used as the characteristic parameters for the origin and variety traceability of Chinese jujubes.

Heat shock treatment maintains the quality attributes of postharvest jujube fruits and delays their senescence process during cold storage.

The effects of heat shock (HT), 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), or their combination (HT+1-MCP) on the quality of fresh jujube fruits during cold storage were studied. Among them, HT showed the best preservation effect on jujube fruits, which was more effective than others in inhibiting the increase of red index, decay incidence, and weight loss and delaying the decrease of firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), and ascorbic acid (AsA) content. Besides, it could delay the degradation rate of the cell wall to maintain the integrity of cell membrane, and keep the high activity of active oxygen scavenging enzymes. During cold storage, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electrolyte leakage (REL) of the HT group were significantly lower than those of the control group, 1-MCP, and HT+1-MCP group (p<.05), while superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly higher than those of other groups (p<.05). It was concluded that the postharvest HT treatment could effectively delay the senescence and decay of jujube fruits. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Jujube fruits have high nutritional value used for food and medicine. However, they are not tolerant to storage after harvest, resulting in high economic losses. Therefore, it is of great significance to find a suitable method to maintain the quality of jujube fruits. Our results revealed the effect of HT, 1-MCP, and their combination on the quality maintenance of jujube fruits, and found that HT could effectively maintain the quality of them, which could be used as an effective method for keeping jujube fruits fresh.

Transcriptomic analyses provide new insights into jujube fruit quality affected by water deficit stress

Water availability is a crucial factor affecting fruit quality and productivity. A period of mild drought stress can increase fruit sweetness and improve fruit quality. However, the mechanism underlying the transcriptional regulation in Chinese jujube under water deficit conditions remains relatively uncharacterized. In this study, we analyzed the protein and sugar contents, the average weight, and transcript expression (RNA sequencing) of jujube fruit at different ripening stages (i.e., white mature and half-red fruit) under mild and severe water deficit conditions. The sucrose and protein contents increased significantly under water deficit conditions. The increase in water deficit stress from mild to severe did not significantly alter the sugar accumulation, but it decreased the average fruit weight. The sugar- and amino acid-related pathways, flavonoid biosynthesis, xyloglucan metabolism, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were affected by water deficit stress. Gene co-expression analyses identified many ABA- and ethylene-related genes with expression levels modulated by water deficit conditions, especially in the half-red stage. Additionally, we identified the key genes affecting fruit sugars, pigments, cell wall polysaccharides, and phenylpropanoids, which influence fruit quality. Notably, genes related to sugar transporters rather than sugar metabolism contributed to the sucrose accumulation. Flavonoid synthesis-related gene expression contributed to the earlier coloration of the stressed fruit than of the control fruit. Severe water deficit stress up-regulated the expression of pectinesterase and endotransglucosylase/hydrolase genes, which accelerated fruit ripening and softening. Regarding the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, the exposure to mild water deficit stress promoted the synthesis of secondary metabolites useful to humans (e.g., coniferin and syringin), whereas the severe water deficit treatment increased lignin accumulation. Considered together, these findings revealed the transcriptional regulatory mechanism that improved jujube fruit quality under mild drought conditions. Furthermore, the results of this study may be useful for optimizing the irrigation during jujube cultivation.

The green synthesis of MgO nanoparticles using dried jujube fruit extract and their anti-yeast activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this study, it was focused on the synthesis of MgO nanoparticles by using dried jujube fruit extract through nontoxic and eco-friendly green method for the first time. The nanoparticles thereby obtained were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in combination with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The formation of small-sized MgO nanoparticles was firstly confirmed by the maximum absorbance value at 320.3 nm. ATR-FTIR spectrums of the dried jujube fruit solid extract and G-MgO NPs showed the existence of bioactive compounds of the jujube fruit involving synthesis process of G-MgO NPs. According to the XRD analysis, the crystal structure of the nanoparticles was determined as face-centered cubic with the approximate average particle size of 21.96 nm. SEM-EDX and TEM analyses represented the synthesized MgO nanoparticles being durable and having spherical shape. We also found that while dried jujube fruit extract had no toxic effects, these nanoparticles show considerable effectiveness against eukaryotic model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the IC50 value of 116.5 ppm.

Resequencing and transcriptomic analysis reveal differences in nitrite reductase in jujube fruit (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.)

BackgroundJujube is a typical fruit tree species from China. ‘Muzao’, a cracking-susceptible cultivar, and ‘Linhuang No. 1’, a cracking-resistant cultivar, were selected in a previous study as contrasting research materials. Whole-genome resequencing and transcriptomic analysis of ‘Linhuang No. 1’ and ‘Muzao’ allowed the identification of differentially expressed genes with different gene structures between the two cultivars and could be helpful in explaining the differences and similarities between the two cultivars.ResultsResequencing identified 664,129 polymorphic variable sites between ‘Linhuang No. 1’ and ‘Muzao’. To determine the genetic relationship among ‘Linhuang No. 1’, ‘Muzao’ and the jujube genome reference cultivar ‘Dongzao’, the characteristic polymorphic variable sites were analysed by principal component analysis. The genetic relationship between ‘Linhuang No. 1’ and ‘Muzao’ was closer than that of either variety and ‘Dongzao’. Nineteen differentially expressed genes were identified by combining transcriptomic analysis with resequencing analysis. LOC107427052 (encoding a nitrite reductase) was identified by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis for further study. The identified insertion was not in the domain region of the LOC107427052 gene coding sequence (CDS) region and was verified by the finding that the insertion did not affect translation of the protein. The LOC107427052 gene expression levels, nitrite reductase activities and nitrite contents of ‘Muzao’ were significantly higher than the corresponding values of ‘Linhuang No. 1’ at the young fruit stage. There was no significant difference in the quantity of the product of nitrite reductase, namely, ammonia, between the two cultivars.ConclusionsThe present study was the first to explore the differences between different jujube cultivars (‘Linhuang No. 1’ and ‘Muzao’) by combining genome resequencing and transcriptomics. LOC107427052 (encoding a nitrite reductase) was characterized by KEGG enrichment analysis. The insertion in the CDS region of the LOC107427052 gene provides a new direction for the study of nitrogen metabolism in jujube. Our study has laid a foundation for the comparative analysis of nitrite metabolism between the jujube cultivars ‘Linhuang No. 1’ and ‘Muzao’.

Numerical analysis of heat and mass transfers during intermittent microwave drying of Chinese jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Miller)

A 3-D coupled electromagnetics, heat transfer, and mass transfer model for intermittent microwave drying of jujube fruit was developed to understand and optimize the effect of duty cycle (power level) and initial moisture on the temperature and moisture distributions and the rate of drying. The model was validated using measured temperature, pressure, and moisture content histories. A comprehensive understanding of the spatial and time evolutions of temperature, moisture, pressure, microwave power absorption, and evaporation rate were obtained. A uniformity index for temperature and moisture, that more closely relates to quality, was computed as drying progressed, providing unique insight into how the power level can affect quality in such a complex drying process. The effect of duty cycling was clearly seen, showing a sharp increase in temperatures, evaporation rate and pressure during the ON-phase, followed by decrease during the OFF-phase. Moisture profiles tracked the temperature cycling. Low moisture samples heated more spatially uniformly at relatively lower temperatures and with more uniform moisture profiles. Lower duty cycles (effectively lower power) reduced both the rate of temperature rise and the moisture loss, while improving the uniformity of temperature and moisture. The model provided a comprehensive mechanistic insight into the complex microwave drying process that would greatly reduce the time and resources in the design of product, process, and equipment.

Production and Characterization of a Novel Low-Sugar Beverage from Red Jujube Fruits and Bamboo Shoots Fermented with Selected Lactiplantibacillus plantarum.

Red jujube fruits and bamboo shoots are rich in many nutrients and have the advantage of high yield in China. However, the storage of fresh fruits is difficult, and there are no fermented products using both as raw materials. In order to develop the two raw materials into novel products and improve their nutritional value, this study reports the production and characterization of a beverage via fermentation of red jujube fruits and bamboo shoots with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. L. plantarum TUST-232 was selected as the starter from several different strains by comparing pH value and the number of viable cells, which reached 8.91 log CFU/mL in the beverage fermented for 14 h at 37 °C with 0.3% inoculation. After fermentation, the beverage showed improvement in the contents of several nutrients and antioxidant indices, with a decrease of 44.10% in sucrose content, along with increases of 11.09%, 12.30%, and 59.80% in total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide anion scavenging ability, respectively. These results indicate that L. plantarum fermentation of red jujube fruits and bamboo shoots could be an effective way to develop a new beverage with high nutritional value, high antioxidant capacity, and high dietary fiber content. This research provided experimental support for the development of new fermentation products with the functions of improving health and body functions.

Identification of Indian jujube varieties cultivated in Saudi Arabia using an artificial neural network.

This study aimed to develop a method for identifying different cultivars of Indian jujube fruits (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) based on a single Indian jujube fruit color and morphological attributes using an artificial neural network (ANN) classifier. Eleven Indian jujube fruit cultivars were collected during winter of season 2020 from a local orchard located at Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia to measure their lengths, major diameters, and minor diameters. Different morphological descriptors were calculated, including the arithmetic mean diameter, the sphericity percent, and the surface area. Moreover, the color values of L*, a*, and b* of the skin of fruits were recorded. The ANN classifier was used to identify the appropriate class of Indian jujube fruit by using a combination of morphological and color descriptors. The proposed method achieved an overall identification rate of 98.39% and 97.56% in training and testing phases, respectively. In addition to color and morphological features, ANN classifier is a useful tool for identifying Indian jujube fruit cultivars and circumventing the difficulties met during fruit grading.

Deep learning for fine-grained classification of jujube fruit in the natural environment

Deep learning for fine-grained classification of jujube fruit in the natural environment

Research advances in bioactive components and health benefits of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) fruit.

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), a highly nutritious and functional fruit, is reported to have various health benefits and has been extensively planted worldwide, especially in China. Many studies have shown that bioactive components derived from jujube fruit have significant nutritional and potential biological effects. In this paper, the latest progress in research on major bioactive compounds obtained from jujube is reviewed, and the potential biological functions of jujube fruit resources are discussed. As a dietary supplement, jujube fruit is well recognized as a healthy food which contains a variety of bioactive substances, such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, amino acids, nucleotides, fatty acids, dietary fiber, alkaloids, and other nutrients. These nutrients and non-nutritive phytochemicals obtained from jujube fruit have physiological functions including anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-hyperglycemic, immunoregulatory, neuroprotective, sedative, and antiviral functions. Of note is that new constituents, including alkaloids, dietary fiber, and other bioactive substances, as well as the antiviral, hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, and neuroprotective effects of jujube fruit, are systematically reviewed here for the first time. Meanwhile, problems affecting the exploitation of jujube fruit resources are discussed and further research directions proposed. Therefore, this review provides a useful bibliography for the future development of jujube-based products and the utilization of jujube nutritional components in functional foods.

Characteristics of fatty acids in the Chinese jujube fruits (ZiZiphus jujuba mill.)

The characteristics of fatty acids of 21 Chinese jujube varieties from three major production regions were studied. Twenty four fatty acids were identified by GC-MS and applying fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs) method. The results showed that the fatty acids types and contents in different jujube cultivars were significantly different. Some of jujube cultivars had high palmitoleic acid content, as examples of ‘NYSLZ’ and ‘SZDZ’ with 11516 mg/100 g and 13632 mg/100 g, respectively. Most of jujube cultivars had high contents of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids except ‘JDZ’, ‘JXZ’, ‘GZ’ and ‘ZHYMZ’. Meanwhile, the four cultivars of ‘YLZ’, ‘SYLZ’, ‘DHZ’ and ‘XHZ’ had a good balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The ‘MZ’, ‘SYLZ’, ‘NYSLZ’ and ‘DHZ’ cultivars contained a higher unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio than the other ones and the highest ratio was 180. In addition, the types and contents of fatty acids in jujubes from the different production areas varied. The hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) revealed that different Chinese jujube cultivars were differentiated based on their fatty acid contents. The findings of this study illustrate that the nutritional profile of different Chinese jujube cultivars varies based on the geographical location and cultivation practices. The understanding of the nutritional profile of jujube cultivars can help food and agricultural industry identify right jujube cultivars with high nutritional contents, especially beneficial fatty acids.

Nutritional and Biochemical Quality Assessment of Commonly Consumed Jujube (Zizyphus mauritiana L.) Varieties Available in Bangladesh

A study was conducted to determine major biochemical and mineral constituents in commonly consumed jujube varieties of Bangladesh. A total of 15 (4 local/deshi and 11 exotic) varieties of matured jujube fruits were collected from the different markets and local areas of Mymensingh district, Bangladesh, and analyzed for this study. The study results revealed that all studied physical properties were lower in local/deshi sour varieties of jujube, and BAU kul contained the maximum amount of flesh (edible part of fruits) along with flesh and seed ratio. Among the biochemical properties- titratable acidity, vitamin C, chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total sugar and reducing sugar content varied from 0.178-2.769%, 33.28-98.63 mg/100 g flesh, 0.0019-0.0174 mg/g tissue, 0.0007-0.0148 mg/g tissue, 2.50-9.83% and 0.135-4.150%, respectively. The study results revealed that local/deshi varieties contained a comparatively higher amount of vitamin C and lower total sugar. However, BARI kuls contained significantly higher amounts of vitamin C and chlorophylls compared to other exotic varieties. The content of Ca, Mg, Na, K, P, and S in jujube varieties ranged from 0.040-0.233%, 0.071-0.164%, 0.054-0.189%, 0.490-2.602%, 0.062-0.234% and 0.079-0.359%, respectively. Regarding major nutrients studied, Ca, Na, K, P, and S contents were higher in local/deshi sour varieties while Mg content was higher in exotic varieties. The study results concluded that most of the biochemical and mineral contents in local/deshi sour jujube fruits were higher, allowing breeders to develop new varieties and improve the quality of existing exotic cultivars.