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Squalene in grapefruit wax as a possible natural protectant against chilling injury
Author(s) -
Nordby Harold E.,
McDonald Roy E.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02535901
Subject(s) - squalene , wax , chemistry , lipidology , clinical chemistry , organic chemistry , biochemistry
Abstract The influence of temperature conditioning on stored grapefruit against chilling injury (CI) as related to the fruit's neutral lipids in the peel was investigated. Squalene, a highly unsaturated C 30 isoprene hydrocarbon, was found to be present in the epicuticular wax of grapefruit. The optimal temperature for biosynthesis of squalene in grapefruit was 15°C; this is also the temperature reported previously as the optimum temperature for conditioning grapefruit against chilling injury. Control and temperature‐conditioned grapefruit were stored monthly over three seasons from 1986 to 1989. Fruits were rated for chilling injury and the levels of squalene were determined. An inverse relationship found between CI and squalene level suggested that squalene may protect grapefruit from CI.