Orange Composition Research Articles

Effect of Two Natural Antioxidant Intervention on Plasma Vitamin C, E, and β-Carotene Concentrations of Apparently Healthy Adults in Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria

Immunologic functions particularly cell-mediated immunity declines with age, contributing to the increased incidence of infectious diseases in the elderly. The study looked at vitamin C, vitamin E, and β-carotene levels in plasma of 150 healthy adults of 96 men and 54 women aged between 30 and 74 years. The subjects were randomly grouped into three at baseline for further dietary studies, The antioxidant dietary supplements were either 1 capsule per day of antioxidant nutraceutical (Forever living product) (containing vitamin E 10 mg, vitamin C 60mg and β-carotene 2000 mcg of vitamin A, or cheap affordable indigenous antioxidant functional foods of equivalent vitamin composition of oranges, carrots, and soybean or bottled water, and the first dose was dispensed and followed up for six months. The result showed that the vit C, E and β-carotene concentration of antioxidant treated groups were positively influenced than the placebo group (Grp 1 (AT-P)6m. Grp 3 (AT-F)6mwas affected more positively than the antioxidant Grp 2 (AT-N)6m. Vitamin C, E, and β-carotene concentrations of the elderly are beyond reference/normal range of blood plasma. Plasma Vitamin C and β-carotene concentration of the female was higher than the male. The vitamin E concentration in blood plasma of male is higher compare to female.

The influence of rootstocks on the composition of oranges, with special reference to bitter principles

A study was made of the effects of rootstock on the composition of Washington Navel oranges grown on eight rootstocks and Valencia Late oranges grown on three rootstocks in several regions during six seasons. Among the three major commercial rootstocks, trifoliate orange and rough lemon exerted contrasting influences on orange composition, while sweet orange occupied an intermediate position. The effects of rootstock were similar on both scion varieties but were more marked with Washington Navel oranges. Trifoliate orange stock tended to give high yields of juice which was high in acidity and soluble solids content but low in ascorbic acid content and in bitter taste when canned. Rough lemon stock tended to give low yields of juice which was lam- in acidity and soluble solids content but high in ascorbic acid content and in bitter taste. A positive correlation was demonstrated between the bitter taste of canned juices and the concentrations of limonoid bitter principles in the peel of Washington Navel oranges, and in the peel and seeds of Valencia Late oranges. Trifoliate orange stock promoted the disappearance of bitter principles from all parts of the fruit with advancing maturity, but rough lemon stock retarded this process. Tangelo and Cleopatra mandarin stocks resembled trifoliate orange in their effects on orange composition. while sweet lime, Kusaie lime, and East Indian lime stocks resembled rough lemon.

EFFECT OF THE ROOTSTOCK ON THE COMPOSITION OF CITRUS TREES AND FRUIT

In previous studies (3), it was shown that the amount of boron that accumulates in citrus leaves is influenced by the rootstock variety. The relative order or type of boron accumulation in the leaves of seedling trees of different varieties is the same as that impressed or imposed upon the leaves of the scion variety by these seedling varieties when used as rootstocks. This rootstock influence was found to affect many of the other inorganic constituents of Valencia orange leaves and rootlets (4). Recently it was pointed out (5) that the rootstock variety may affect the content of total phosphorus in citrus flowers. The effect of rootstocks on fruit quality, for the most part, has dealt with the organic constituents of the fruit. As a result of a seven-year investigation on the effects of the rootstock on the composition of oranges and grapefruit (9), considerable data are now available regarding the total soluble solids, total and reducing sugars, pH, titratable acidity, dry matter, ash, and inorganic constituents of the peel, pulp, and juice of these fruits. Scarcely any data are available regarding the effect of the rootstock on the accumulation of inorganic constituents in the vegetative portions of lemon trees or in lemon fruit, and further data of this kind for orange and grapefruit trees and fruit are very desirable. It is reported (2) that rootstocks affect the prevalence of lemon tree decline as well as the yields of fruit. In certain areas in the United States and abroad, the use of sweet orange scions on sour orange as the rootstock may be accompanied by a rapid tree decline (10, 12). The present paper deals largely with differences in the inorganic composition of the peel of citrus fruits and of the leaves and rootlets of trees in which the scions (buds) of any one variety were obtained from a single parent tree and in which the seedlings used as rootstocks were carefully selected (11). The soil and other environmental factors were quite similar for each row of trees and frequent use was made of plot replications in order to make more accurate comparisons. The results presented in this paper add emphasis to the care required in the collection of citrus tree samples in order not to have the frequently unknown factor of rootstock variety nullify the results of careful chemical analysis. Thus in cases in which the fertilizer requirements or status of a soil are sought by means of compositional variations in various portions of citrus trees or fruit, it becomes most necessary to know that the observed chemical differences are not due instead to the nature of the rootstock varieties involved.

Effects of rootstock and environment on the composition of oranges and grapefruit

Abstract does not appear. First page follows. Introduction The influence of different rootstocks on important citrus varieties is being studied in a long-term experiment at this station. The present paper deals with rootstock effects on fruit composition. The effects on growth and yield of the trees in the same plots are being investigated by other workers cooperating in this project. On the basis of results with soil and fertilizer studies, rootstock differences may be expected to have less effect on the fruit than on the foliage. But even small differences in composition may appreciably affect fruit quality, which is of immediate practical importance to the grower. Unfortunately, edible quality is a subjective judgment not closely correlated with anyone quantitative test. Flavor varies not only with concentration of total soluble solids and with relative amounts of sugar and acids, but also with other, independent variables. Differences in amounts of aromatic substances, for example, may cause noticeable differences in palatability in oranges with the same concentration of total soluble solids. But though chemical composition is difficult to relate directly to fruit quality, especially in citrus, it does measure quantitatively certain pertinent characteristics. It is of further interest scientifically for the light it throws on the physiological activities in budded citrus trees. The effect of rootstock on the composition of citrus fruits has been studied in various parts of the world, notably in Australia (31),5 South Africa (29), South America (33), and the United States (20), (23). Reports on some of these investigations are brief and limited in experimental data, while others are more extended.