Abstract
The physical measurements and chemical analyses of date fruits of five cultivars grown in the United Arab Emirates were measured in this study. Due to differences in seed weight, the flesh accounted for 83–92% of the total fruit. At the tamr stage, the absence of sucrose and the presence of higher concentrations of reducing sugars, especially fructose and glucose, characterized these cultivars as the soft type. On maturation from the kimri to the tamr stage, the sugar content had increased, but other constituents like moisture, crude protein, crude fat, ash, crude fiber, tannins, and pectin had decreased.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mohammed S, Shabana HR, Mawlod EA (1983) Evaluation and identification of Iraqi date cultivars: fruit characterisitcs of 50 cultivars. Date Palm J 2(1): 27–55.
Vandercook CE, Hasegawa S, Maier VP (1977) Quality and nutritive value of dates as influenced by their chemical composition. Date Growers Inst Rep 54: 3–9.
Shabana HR, Benhamin ND, Mohammed S (1981) Pattern of growth and development in date palm fruit. Date Palm J 1(1): 31–42.
Sawaya WN, Khatchadourian HA, Khalil JK, Safi WM, Al-Shalhat A (1982) Growth and compositional changes during the various development stages of some Saudi Arabian date cultivars. J Food Sci 47: 1489–1493.
Youssef MKE, El-Geddawy MAH, El-Rify MN, Ramadan BR (1992) Study of amino acid, organic acid and free sugar compsition of New VAlley dates and certain date products. Acta-Alimentaria 21: 325–335.
Hussein F (1970) Fruit growth and composition of two dry date cultivars grown in Asswan. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 47: 157–162.
AOAC (1985) Official Methods of Analysis. 14th edn. Washington, DC: Association of Official Analytical Chemists.
Ruck JA (1969) Chemical methods for analysis of fruits and vegetable products. Publication No. SP 50, pp. 5, 40, Summerland, British Columbia: Canada Department of Agriculture, Research Station.
Sawaya WN (1986). Overview. In: Sawaya WN (ed), Dates of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Safir Press, pp 1–44.
Rygg GL (1946). Compositional changes in the date fruit during growth and ripening. Washington, DC: USDA Technical Bulletin No. 910.
Salem SA, Hegazi SM (1971) Chemical composition of Egyptian dry dates. J Sci Food Agric 22: 632–633.
Hussein F, Mostafa S, El-Samiraea F, Al-Zeid A (1976) Studies on physical and chemical characteristics of eighteen date cultivars grown in Saudi Arabia. Indian J Horticulture 33: 107–113.
FAO (1982) Food Composition Tables for the Near East, pp. 64 Publication No. 26, FAO/UNO, Rome.
Jarvis MC (1984) Structure and properties of pectin gels in plant cell walls. Plant Cell Environ 7: 153–164.
Gross KC (1984) Fractionation and partial characterization of cell walls from normal and nonripening mutant tomato fruit. Physiol Plant 62: 25–32.
Graces-Medina M (1968) Pectin, pectin esterase, and ascorbic acid in tropical fruit pulps. Arch Latinoam Nutr 18: 410–412.
Saleh SM, Yacout GA, El-Sadek MM (1987) Biochemical changes in round dry dates associated with mite infestation. Alexandria J Agri Res 32(1): 477–489.
Sawaya WN, Miski, AMA, Al-Mashhadi S (1986) Physical and chemical characteristics of the major Saudi Arabian date cultivars. In: Sawaya WN (ed), Dates of Saudi Arabia. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Safir Press, pp 45–73.
Minessy FA, Bacha MAA, El-Azab EM (1975) Changes in sugars and nutrient elements content in fruit of four soft date varieties in Egypt. Alexandria J Agri Res 23: 301–306.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Hooti, S., Sidhu, J.S. & Qabazard, H. Physicochemical characteristics of five date fruit cultivars grown in the United Arab Emirates. Plant Food Hum Nutr 50, 101–113 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02436030
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02436030