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The determination of bitter principles in zucchinis
Author(s) -
Hutt Terrence F.,
Herrington Mark E.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740361112
Subject(s) - cucurbita pepo , glycoside , chromatography , chemistry , bitter taste , mass spectrometry , taste , food science , pulp (tooth) , thin layer chromatography , botany , biology , stereochemistry , medicine , pathology
A method using reverse phase thin layer and high performance liquid chromatography was developed to determine the level of the bitter principle occasionally found in zucchini ( Cucurbita pepo L.). The system gave excellent separation with recovery rates of about 90% from spiked fruit. The bitter principle was confirmed by C 13 NMR and mass spectrometry as cucurbitacin E glycoside which was present in concentrations in the order of 600mg kg −1 in bitter fruits. Bitterness was detected by a taste panel at cucurbitacin E glycoside concentrations of 1 mg kg −1 in aqueous solutions and 2 mg kg −1 in zucchini pulp. The method described should assist the screening for bitterness in commercial and breeding populations of zucchini.